Entertainment:
·
Starz to possibly launch a standalone streaming service
o
http://venturebeat.com/2014/10/30/following-hbo-cbs-starz-may-launch-a-standalone-online-tv-service/
·
Open Road Films is expanding into the international sales
and distribution business after inking a strategic partnership with Glen Basner's
FilmNation Entertainment
·
Ridley Scott's commercial production company RSA Films and
movie ad agency Wild Card have launched 3 AM, a specialized consultancy firm
geared to develop new forms of content and marketing for global audiences
·
Ellen DeGeneres is taking her selfies to a new level,
announcing the launch of ellentube, a site and iOS app that pulls together
videos related to The Ellen DeGeneres Show and from fans
·
Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea will get a $4.5 billion
expansion and upgrade
·
Marriot International signs social stars to create content
for Marriot Content Studio
·
Traditional TV viewing has declined by 13 minutes a day over
the last year, and Netflix viewers alone are spending 12 minutes more a day on
the service
Tech:
·
Nintendo’s first entry into the “quality of life” business,
which it plans to release by early 2016, is a device that tracks a user’s level
of fatigue by monitoring sleep
·
Slack, the enterprise collaboration platform, has closed a
$120MM round of funding, co-led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and
Google Ventures
·
Autodesk is opening a $100MM 3D printing fund, called Spark
Investment Fund, to give money to startups and designers in the 3D printing
space
·
Instagram to roll out video ads soon
·
On social media, there are more people talking about
GamerGate than online privacy
·
Chinese users can now shop from Alibaba while watching
videos on Youku
·
MakerBot, the 3D printer maker, will
start offering up 3D printable Hello Kitty collectibles, as part of its
MakerBot PrintShop app
·
Hello Kitty has turned 40 today
·
A Pirate Bay co-founder has been
sentenced to more than 3 years in prison
·
Starbucks to start delivering in
2015
·
Obama administration officials
launched their first-ever holiday contest for 3-D printed (or designed)
ornaments
Deals:
·
The Japanese telecommunications
giant Softbank is said to be looking at the wireless assets that have been put
up for sale by América Móvil
o http://online.wsj.com/articles/japans-softbank-taking-a-hard-look-at-america-movil-assets-1414687089
·
Salus Capital Partners, a major
RadioShack lender, is attempting to buy a bigger piece of the electronic
retailer’s debt in exchange for agreeing to back the company’s store-closing
plan
Business:
·
Sony’s mobile unit increased its revenue in the last quarter
(its fiscal Q2 2014) by 1.2% to $2.83B, but the company wrote down the
valuation of the business by $1.59B
·
GoPro shares spike as they beat analyst’s expectations
·
Citigroup revealed that it’s facing a U.S. criminal probe
into the bank’s foreign-exchange business and took a $600MM legal charge
·
Time Warner Cable bled yet more residential video customers
in the third quarter of 2014, losing profit in the process
Exec Moves:
·
Andy Rubin, Google’s head of
robotics and former head of Android, has confirmed that he is stepping down
from the company to launch a new incubator for hardware startups
·
Yahoo! has named Lisa Utzschneider
as its SVP of sales for the Americas, nabbing her from Amazon
·
Kelly Kulchak has been named head
of current programming at the TV division of DreamWorks Animation
·
Will Rowbotham has exited Caliber
Media to join 3 Arts as a lit manager
Retail:
Startups:
·
Los Angeles-based uBeam, a
developer of wireless charging technology which uses ultrasound to transmit
energy, has raised $10M in a Series A led by Upfront Ventures
Government:
Other:
·
JK
Rowling has revealed in a Halloween post that Dolores Umbridge was based on a
real teacher
