DuckDuckGo Challenges Google on Privacy (With a Billboard) (Wired Blogs: Epicenter)

Daily Links 1/19/2011: Franken can't let Comcast/NBCU deal go

Comcast’s Biggest Regulatory Win? What The FCC And DOJ Didn’t Do (paidContent)

Comcast-NBC Deal: What’s Next? (Wall Street Journal: Deal Journal)

Senator Al Franken: No joke, Comcast trying to whack Netflix (Ars Technica)


SAP sets ambitious goals, faces restructuring: report (Reuters)

ASUG to Launch Online Magazine (Business Wire)

SAP Community Podcast: Talking SAP On-Demand with SAP's John Wookey (SAP Community Networks Blog)

Microsoft Steps Up Competition With Dynamics CRM 2011 (Information Week)

Thoughts on Paul Greenberg's CRM 2011 Watchlist (Read Write Enterprise)

Verizon To Continue Rapid Cloud Ramp (Information Week)

What happens when the CD factory closes? (CNET News)
On the closing of Sony's Pitman, NJ CD plant.



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FCC votes 4 to 1 to approve Comcast/NBCU deal (with conditions)

FCC approves Comcast and NBC joint venture (Washington Post: Post Tech)

FCC Makes a Big Deal Out of Online Video With Comcast NBC-U Deal Approval (Gigaom: NewTeeVee)
Comcast must be hands-off in terms of Hulu's management.

Comcast will retain NBC's stake in Hulu, but is stripped of control
(LA Times: Company Town)

Copps: Comcast/NBCU 'Damaging and Potentially Dangerous'
Says many of the promised conditions do no more than maintain the status quo, which does not serve public interest (Broadcasting & Cable)

Comcast/NBCU Deal Approved By Justice (Multichannel News)

Regulatory Approval Received for Comcast/GE Joint Venture for NBC Universal (Comcast Voices |Comcast Corporate Blog)

Phiily Tech TidBits 1/18/2011

TechCrunch reported that the amount recently raised by Conshohocken's Viridity Energy was $14 million. The investors were Braemar Energy Ventures and Intel Capital. Viridity's software and systems help businesses create "microgrids" to optimize energy consumption and buy off and sell to the main grid.

First Round Capital now shows 100 companies as being in its portfolio, though that includes a few exits.

The Open Angel Forum is coming to Philly on March 16. OAF is a group started by Jason Calacanis to provide a no-fee venue for startups to present to angel investors. They are now accepting applications. Morgan Lewis is hosting the event.

PennApps Mobile was held at Penn this past weekend, and 23 of the 31 teams that started the hackathon produced a demonstratable application. The Grand Prize winner was an app called MeepMe. Teams surveyed overwhelmingly chose Android as their development platform.


The Harrisburg Patriot-News has an article detailing the many failures of Pennsylvania's wine kiosks, which were removed from grocery stores late last month for an attitude adjustment. A few kiosks are being reinstalled and tested this week before a decision is made about reinstalling the rest. The machines were developed by Simple Brands of Conshohocken.

West Chester's QVC has chosen IBM's recently acquired Netezza data warehousing system to analyze user-generated content from its web forums. QVC says it expect to achieve a greater understanding of its customer needs "based on the online conversations they are having about our products and services".

Bipin Shah, the primary architect of CoreStates Financial's Money Access Center (MAC) ATM network back in the 1980s, is behind a new Radnor-based venture,Universal Business Payment Solutions Acquisitions Corporation , which aims to raise $72 million for a "blank check corporation" which would seek to make acquisitions and roll up smaller companies in the payroll processing, debit and credit card transaction processing, and prepaid plastic markets. The company is awaiting an SEC response to its proposed public offering (via Flying Kite Media)

Former Detroit Lions star Barry Sanders, who has stayed largely out of the public eye since his early retirement from the game, is making a comeback-sort of. He is helping to promote Comcast Business Services in the State of Michigan.


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Perfect Market Raises $9 Million In A Round Led By Comcast (paidContent)

LLR, Tailwind Exit SDI (TheMiddleMarket.com)

NewSpring Capital Makes Growth Investment in Raritan Inc.
- Invests in Raritan's Power Management Business - (PR Newswire)

OWLnet times out (The Temple News)
Upgrades to SunGard Banner.

Students enjoy DrexelOne app (The Triangle)

Verve Wireless names new Chief Executive (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Verve cofounder Art Howe, former Inquirer reporter and exec, steps down as CEO but will
continue as Chairman.

Looking Closely at the Market Research Numbers for Sizing the Geospatial Technology Market (Directions Magazine)

Comcast/NBCU approval expected tomorrow (Washington Post)

Comcast-NBC merger approval expected Tuesday (Washington Post: Post Tech)

Daily Links 1/17/2011: SAP makes global field organization realignment official

Comcast/NBCU Expected To Gain Approval This Week
(Multichannel News)

SnagFilms Raises $10 Million From Comcast, NEA; Will Expand Beyond Docs
(paidcontent)

Verizon: Level 3's Net-Neutrality Charge Against Comcast Is Specious
Telco Says FCC Intervention Would 'Upset' a Well-Functioning Marketplace (Multichannel News)

SAP Realigns Global Field Organization (PR Newswire)
A confirmation of what was already out there.

Robert Courteau Named President of SAP North America
Assumes Role as Former President Robert Enslin Appointed to Lead Business Software Company's Global Sales (PR Newswire)

Intergraph settles $200M suit with Bentley Systems (Huntsville Times)

5 Big Themes in BI for 2011 (Information
Week)

2010 Achievements and 2011 Outlook: Safeguard Scientifics, Capital Markets, Regulatory Compliance and more (Safeguard Scientifics Blog)

Student Developers Prefer Android at University of Pennsylvania Hackathon [Infographic] (Read Write Web)

Philly Tech People News 1/16/2011

Bentley Names Gus Bergsma as Vice President of New Sales Organization Serving Small and Medium Enterprises Worldwide (Bentley Systems Press Release)

Beyond.com, Inc. Expands Technology Team and Names James Bright as Enterprise Architect (Business Wire)

Knut T. Fenner Joins Datacolor® As Vice President, Imaging Color Solutions (Business Wire)

RES Software Appoints Bill Corrigan as Chief Marketing Officer (Business Wire)

Edison Ventures Announces Three Promotions Following Strong 2010 (pdf) (Press Release)
Two Elevated to Partner and One to Principal

Daily Links 1/14/2011: IMS Health in agreement to acquire SDI, days after Supreme Court agrees to take data privacy case

Digging For Data: IMS Health Buys Rival SDI (Report) (Pharmalot)
Big deal for Pharma market research and Philly area; some job cuts would be expected.
Update: IMS Health issues a statement confirming agreement. Link (pdf)

Supreme Court Health Data Case Could Sway Online Privacy Debate (paidContent)
I'm sure its not a coincidence that the IMS Health-SDI merger was announced just days after the Court agreed to hear the case.

Pending Comcast Deal Muzzles NBC With Reporters (AP via NPR)

News Corp. worries some proposed FCC conditions on Comcast-NBC Universal go too far (LA Times: Company Town)

Level 3 May Test FCC 'Open Internet' Rules In Comcast Fight
Internet Provider Still Balking at Cable Operator's Connection Fees (Multichannel News)

Is An Apps Shakeup Ahead At Microsoft?
To compete in the enterprise with the likes of IBM, Oracle, SAP and Salesforce.com, Microsoft has to take a more direct approach. (Information Week)

Fitch Affirms SunGard Data Systems' IDR at 'B'; Outlook Stable (Business Wire)

Edison Ventures Sells Presidium To Blackboard (PE Hub)

QVC Shoppers Say “No More Facebooking and Tweeting During On-Air Presentations” (CenterNetworks)

Daily Links 1/13/2011: SAP Q4 revenue well ahead of estimates

ERP Investments to Slow in 2011 (PC World)

SAP Announces Record Fourth Quarter 2010 Software Revenue (PR Newswire)
SAP Jumps: Sees Q4 Revenue Ahead Of Estimates (Barron's: Tech Trader Daily)

(Ex SAP Exec) Doug Merritt tips up as Baynote CEO. What's next? (ZDNet Blogs)

Bank tech spending to hit $132B in 2015, analysts say
Mobile banking technology spending leads industry boom; North American spending expected to reach $50 billion (Computerworld)

Walt Disney Co. has concerns with proposed conditions on Comcast - NBC Universal deal (LA Times: Company Town)

Monetate Targeting eCommerce With Marketing Tech That Does Not Require I.T. Says CEO Brussin (AdExchanger.com)

Portico Systems Strengthens Its Financial Position (Business Wire)

MPC to Open Technology and Electronics Recycling and Processing Facility in Philadelphia (Business Wire)

Charter Media deploys TelVue servers in L.A. (CED Magazine)
TelVue is based in Mt. Laurel. Interesting to see a cable company using its technology in this way.




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