WideRay

Wireless Content Distributor WideRay Raises $10 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 3, 2005 - 6:18am.

San Francisco -- WideRay, a developer of hardware that lets retailers and content providers wirelessly distribute digital media and promotional content to mobile devices, said on Wednesday that it has raised $10 million in its third round of funding. New investor Enterprise Partners Venture Capital led the round, with additional backing from previous investor Sequoia Capital and other private investors. San Francisco-based WideRay said that it will use the funds primarily to pursue new customers and capitalize on the accelerated demand for its technology. The company recently opened a European office in London and hired two senior-level executives in marketing and engineering. WideRay's customers include TeliaSonera, EB Games, GM, Nokia and Microsoft.

tags: Deals | VC | Wireless | WideRay |

Fox, Loews and WideRay Partner for In-Theater Downloads Via Bluetooth

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on July 19, 2005 - 9:23am.

Los Angeles -- Twentieth Century Fox announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with Loews Theaters and technology firm WideRay to provide downloads of movie trailers, ringtones, and other content to moviegoers' Bluetooth-enabled cell phones. When consumers with Bluetooth wireless connections near a WideRay theater kiosk, they will receive notification of the availability of free movie-related content sent to their cell phones. They may then download a free, full-length movie trailer to their phones in less than 30 seconds from the kiosk. The download does not incur carrier charges, as the transfer is made directly from kiosk to phone. The technology is currently being tested at Loews theaters in New York's Lincoln Square, Los Angeles' Universal Citywalk and San Francisco's Metreon, which are offering trailers and other content from Fox's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Fantastic Four" and "Kingdom of Heaven." "Twentieth Century Fox continues to push for new and innovative channels to reach our movie-goers, to give them ways to interact with our movies before and after they enjoy the films on the big screen," said Fox co-president of marketing Pamela Levine.