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Sprint Nextel Invests $10 Million in Mobile Multimedia Firm IPWireless

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 19, 2006 - 3:21am.
Reston, Va. - Sprint Nextel, the Reston-based wireless giant, said on Thursday that it has made an additional $10 million investment in California-based IPWireless, a developer of mobile broadband and multimedia technology. Sprint Nextel is currently testing the company's technology in the DC area for wireless broadband access, as well as various wireless multimedia services, such as online gaming, document collaboration and video-conferencing. Sprint, which merged with Nextel late last year, originally invested $4 million in IPWireless last July. IPWireless, which also has worked with such companies as T-Mobile and Orange, has raised more than $200 million since its founding in 1999.
tags: Mobile | IPWireless | Sprint Nextel | Multimedia |

Israeli Multimedia Chipmaker CopperGate Raises $14.5 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 28, 2005 - 10:26am.
Tel Aviv - CopperGate Communications, an Israel-based supplier of multimedia chips, announced that it has raised $14.5 million in its third round of funding, led by new investor Carmel Ventures. Previous investors Tamir Fishman Ventures and the Challenge Fund also participated. The company said it planned to use the capital to accelerate its expansion into international markets and increase its product development and customer support capacity. Founded in 2000, CopperGate addresses the emerging Internet TV market with its home networking distribution technology.
tags: VC | Chipmaker | Israeli | Multimedia |

GoFish Licenses Multimedia Search Engine to Ask Jeeves

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 22, 2005 - 11:04am.
San Francisco - GoFish Technologies announced on Tuesday that search engine Ask Jeeves has signed a content licensing agreement that will integrate GoFish's multimedia search engine for entertainment-related information on Ask Jeeves. San Francisco-based GoFish's multimedia index includes links to over 100 million audio and video files available on the Web.
tags: Multimedia | GoFish | Jeeves |

About.com Licenses GoFish Multimedia Search Engine

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 16, 2005 - 4:35am.
San Francisco - GoFish Technologies, a provider of multimedia search engine technology, announced on Wednesday that informational portal About.com has licensed its technology and will make GoFish's multimedia search engine available to its 26 million monthly visitors. San Francisco-based GoFish's index includes over 100 million audio, video, mobile, games and user-generated content files.
tags: Website | Multimedia | GoFish | About.com |

Nokia Introduces Three New Multimedia Mobile Phones

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 2, 2005 - 4:04am.
Espoo, Finland - Nokia on Wednesday introduced three new multimedia-equipped cell phones, including the first handset to offer a built-in DVB-H mobile TV receiver. The Nokia N92, with the DVB-H receiver, will allow users to both watch and record live TV. The latest Nokia XpressMusic phone, the Nokia N71, includes stereo FM radio, and support for digital music and videos. The company also introduced the first phone to feature UPnP technology, which allows it to display photos taken with the phone on a TV, play audio tracks stored on the phone on a connected audio system or PC, and wirelessly print to a UPnP-enabled printer. The new phones are expected to begin selling in the first half of 2006, priced roughly between $480 and $720.
tags: Nokia | Multimedia | Mobile Phones |

Mobile Multimedia Developer Adamind Raises $28 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 15, 2005 - 9:18am.
London -- Adamind, an Israel-based maker of media adaptation software for mobile devices, announced that it has raised $28 million in an initial public offering (IPO) on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM), valuing the firm at approximately $88.5 million. Adamind said it planned to use the funds to capitalize on the projected growth of the mobile content services market. The company, which was formed by the merger of the media transcoding businesses of Emblaze Ltd. and Royal Philips Electronics, said it expected trading to begin by Feb. 21. Adamind makes software that allows multimedia messages to be exchanged between devices with differing configurations.
tags: VC | Multimedia | Mobiles | Adamind |

Multimedia Developer InterVideo Settles Patent Suit With PC Maker Acer

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 3, 2004 - 9:13am.
Fremont, Calif. -- InterVideo, a provider of software to consumer electronics and PC manufacturers, said on Tuesday that it has agreed to settle its patent infringement claims against computer maker Acer. As part of the deal, InterVideo will license its InstantON patents to Compal Electronics, the company that manufactures Acer's PCs. The two companies also will partner to develop multimedia applications and portable consumer electronic devices. In all, InterVideo has agreed to license 26 of its patents to Compal for use in manufacturing the Acer Aspire 2000 and Acer Aspire 2020 notebook computers. Other details of the settlement were not disclosed. InterVideo subsidiary InterVideo Digital Technology had filed patent infringement lawsuits in Texas and Taiwan against Acer for infringement of various patents relating to the technology.
tags: PC | Acer | Multimedia | InterVideo |

Qualcomm Spending $800 Million to Develop Wireless Multimedia Network

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 1, 2004 - 9:37am.
San Diego -- Wireless technology developer Qualcomm on Monday announced plans to deploy a nationwide "mediacast" network that it says will deliver high-quality video and audio to 3G cell phones "at mass market prices." San Diego-based Qualcomm's MediaFLO subsidiary will spend $800 million over the next five years to develop the new network, which will partner with cellular operators using Qualcomm's CDMA technology to deliver multimedia to cell phones in the 700MHz spectrum. The network, expected to begin commercial operation in 2006, will support 50-100 national and local content channels, including up to 15 live streaming channels of video at up to 30 frames per second. Qualcomm said the MediaFLO network will give content providers including TV stations and networks, cable TV and satellite operators a major new distribution channel that complements their current offerings.
tags: Wireless | Qualcomm | Multimedia |

Study: British Uninterested in Multimedia Messaging

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 13, 2004 - 1:59am.
London -- According to a new study conducted by NOP, as much as 80% of British mobile owners has no interest whatsoever in MMS (multimedia messaging service), a technology that allows users to send and receive pictures and download music and video clips on mobile phones. Considering the fact that the British are some of the world's most avid SMS users, the news will be of some concern for mobile companies that have invested hundreds of millions of euro in MMS. NOP said that many new MMS users were still confused about costs of picture messaging, while as many as 17% of those surveyed did not even know how to send multimedia messages. Of the 21% of mobile users in the U.K. who have used multimedia messaging, the vast majority have done so only to send pictures to friends and family, NOP said.
tags: Study | Multimedia | British | Messages | Uninterestes |

Mobile Multimedia Platform Developer Tao Group Raises $7 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 6, 2004 - 2:50am.
Reading, U.K. -- U.K.-based Tao Group announced on Thursday that it has secured $7 million in venture capital in a round led by Atlantic Capital Partners, which invested in the group for the second time. Privately held Tao is a manufacturer of the Intent multimedia platform for mobile and other digital devices. "With the additional funding led by Cross Atlantic, we will be able to pursue a much more aggressive go-to-market program in Europe, Asia and North America," said Tao chairman Francis Charig. To date, the company has raised more than $45 million in private equity, with nearly $37 million of that being raised within the last three years.
tags: Mobile | VC | Multimedia | Tao Group |

Mobile Multimedia Chipmaker Atsana Raises $10 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 14, 2004 - 3:29am.
Ottawa, Ontario -- Atsana Semiconductor, a developer of multimedia processors for mobile devices, announced on Wednesday that it has raised $10 million in new equity financing. Investors included Siemens Mobile Acceleration, GrowthWorks WV Funds, Covington Capital, Greenstone Venture Partners and a number of the company's original investors. Canada-based Atsana's products enable mobile phones, PDAs and other devices to deliver multimedia applications such as multimedia messaging, camcorder functionality, video conferencing, video streaming and 2D/3D gaming. The company will use the funds to expand marketing, sales, and business development activities, as well as for further product development.
tags: Mobile | VC | Chipmaker | Multimedia | Atsana |

Wireless Multimedia Networking Firm Dilithium Networks Raises $10 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on April 22, 2003 - 1:34am.
Larkspur, Calif. -- Dilithium Networks, a developer of wireless multimedia technologies that include voice and video transcoding gateways, announced on Tuesday that it has raised $10 million in its second round of venture capital financing. Motorola Ventures and JAFCO Asia led the investment round; previous investors Ericsson Technology Fund, Deutsche Bank Capital Partners and CM Capital also participated. The company's technology connects networks and terminals to enable more efficient transport of voice and video between multimedia network devices including mobile, IP, POTS, PDAs, and ISDN terminals. Larkspur, Calif.-based Dilithium Networks will use the new funds to expand its global sales and support efforts, as well as to support ongoing research and development efforts. http://www.dilithiumnetworks.com/news/press_newsApr22.htm
tags: VC | Wireless | Multimedia | Dilithium Networks |

Premium Multimedia Content Distributor Synacor Raises $6.5 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 25, 2003 - 4:15am.
Buffalo, N.Y. -- Synacor, a provider of premium digital media content delivery for Internet access providers, announced on Tuesday that it has raised $6.5 million in its third round of venture capital financing. Participating in the round were new investors Access Technology Capital, Intel Capital and Rand Capital, and previous investors Walden International Investment Group and Crystal Venture Capital. New York-based Synacor provides ISPs, telcos and other access providers with subscription-based content including Fox Sports videos and online games, content from Walt Disney Internet Group and CinemaNow video-on-demand services. The company said Susquehanna Communications and FairPoint Communications will soon launch its subscription services for their customers. Synacor will use the new funding to continue the strategic expansion of its customer base to larger service providers.
tags: VC | Multimedia | Premium | Synacor |

Texas Instruments Upgrades Multimedia Chips for Cell Phones

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 3, 2003 - 4:10am.
Dallas -- Chipmaker Texas Instruments announced on Monday that it has developed a new series of wireless chipsets for use in cell phones and other devices, which will enable cell phone users to download movies and songs, as well as surf the Internet at higher speeds. Dallas-based Texas Instruments' new chips can increase the performance of graphics and multimedia content by eight-fold while at the same time reducing the amount of power needed for such functions, lengthening a battery's charge. The company said it expects devices featuring the new chips to become available to consumers by the 2003 holiday shopping season.
tags: Cell Phones | Multimedia | Texas | Upgrades |

Wireless Multimedia Developer Comverse To Invest $4 Million In Israel

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2003 - 7:13am.
Tel Aviv -- Comverse Technology, a provider of systems and software enabling network-based multimedia enhanced communications services, will invest $4 million to expand its operations at Ramat Hahayal, according to a report in Wednesday's Globes business newspaper. The paper said Comverse plans to hire 300 new workers to produce software and equipment for advanced multimedia services for communications networks. Separately, Comverse announced on Wednesday a deal with Portuguese wireless network operator TMN, to distribute its VoiCD music and entertainment cell phone content to TMN subscribers.
tags: Wireless | Israel | Multimedia | Comverse |