RealNetworks returns to roots, plans move to smaller offices near Safeco Field

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RealNetworks got its start in Pioneer Square in 1995, and now the Seattle company is heading back to the quirky neighborhood known for its old brick buildings. But Real isn’t going into one of the historical structures this time. The company announced today that it has secured 85,000 square-feet of space at the new Home… Read More…

Seattle tech vet Matt Hulett named CEO of ClickBank

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Matt Hulett, the Seattle startup veteran who was most recently president of RealNetworks’ video-game division, has been named the CEO of ClickBank, a Boise-based digital content creation, distribution and marketing platform. Hulett, the former AdXpose (Mpire) CEO and Expedia Corporate Travel president, announced his departure from RealNetworks’ GameHouse unit a month ago for an unspecified… Read More…

GameHouse chief Matt Hulett leaving RealNetworks for mystery job

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Matt Hulett, the Seattle startup vet who overhauled RealNetworks’ GameHouse games division, is leaving the company to accept an unspecified “executive opportunity out of state,” according to a regulatory filing this morning. Hulett, the former AdXpose (Mpire) CEO and Expedia Corporate Travel president, isn’t yet saying publicly what he plans to do. Hulett led GameHouse,… Read More…

GameHouse launches new Facebook casino, expands slots to iPhone and iPad

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GameHouse is placing a bigger bet on casino-style social gaming starting today— moving beyond its existing Facebook slots game to launch a larger casino on the social network, with more than a dozen games. GameHouse also is expanding its original slots game to iPhone and iPad with the release of a new iOS app. It’s… Read More…

RealNetworks shakes up mobile business, hires former Dada CEO as division president

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RealNetworks this morning announced a new president and a broader strategy for its newly renamed Mobile Entertainment Division. Max Pellegrini, the former CEO and chairman of mobile web company Dada.net, is joining the Seattle company to lead the division as part of RealNetworks chairman Rob Glaser’s bid to revive the company that he founded 18… Read More…

Zulily nearing deal to secure big lease at RealNetworks HQ

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Fast-growing daily deal service Zulily has signed a letter-of-intent to occupy a large portion of the Seattle Trade & Technology Center along Elliott Avenue, GeekWire has earned. A deal has been rumored for months, but the letter-of-intent is the first solid signal that the heavily-funded company is pushing forward with its plan for the space…. Read More…

RealNetworks swings to a profit, but Glaser says there’s ‘considerable work to do’

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RealNetworks has been beaten and battered over the past year, losing nearly a third of its value and watching a number of executives depart. But founder Rob Glaser, who stepped into the interim CEO role last July, got a bit of good news here today as the Seattle company announced that it posted a profit… Read More…

Year in review: Vote for the top Seattle tech story of 2012

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It’s been quite the year in Seattle technology. Amazon.com kept growing. Microsoft kept transforming. And several startups raised huge rounds of cash as they looked to become the next Microsoft or Amazon. In case your head was filled with too many Tweets and Facebook posts to keep up, here’s a handy look back at the biggest… Read More…

Video: GameHouse chief keeps pants on, raises money for charity as sumo wrestler

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Even though RealNetworks exec Matt Hulett kept his pants on this year, he still managed to help raise money for Northwest Harvest. After diving into the chilly waters of Lake Washington for charity and nearly losing his trunks last year, Hulett and his team bounced off each other as sumo wrestlers this December. “Last year,… Read More…

Smilebox founder Andrew Wright hangs angel investor shingle, bankrolls consumer Internet startups

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Let’s face it: Seattle needs more angels — the folks who can write checks to support the next-generation of entrepreneurial talent in the region. And the best way to get more of these angels is for experienced entrepreneurs — those who’ve already met with some financial success in past endeavors — to commit some of… Read More…

Tech Moves: aQuantive co-founder Galgon joins Real’s board; Madrona hires PR vet; Expedia changes; etc.

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Rob Glaser continues to overhaul the board of directors at RealNetworks, today announcing that aQuantive co-founder Mike Galgon has joined as a director. ”Mike is one of the more accomplished technology entrepreneurs in Seattle’s history,” said Glaser in a press release. “We look forward to tapping into his deep understanding of digital media, advertising, and e-commerce… Read More…

Real politics: Why candidates are sprouting from RealNetworks and other tech companies

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A few months ago, I wrote a story about the role that RealNetworks has played in creating a wave of startup activity in Seattle’s tech community, breeding entrepreneurs such as Sujal Patel of Isilon (in the news today); Paul Thelen of Big Fish Games and Andrew Wright of Smilebox. But it’s not just entrepreneurs coming… Read More…

RealNetworks posts $22M loss on slumping sales: CEO Rob Glaser pledges to get back to profitability

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Struggling RealNetworks posted a $22 million net loss for the third quarter, driven in part by $11 million in restructuring charges tied to employee severance costs as well as losses on excess office facilities and the transfer of contracts to Livewire Mobile. That compared to a $5.2 million net loss for the same period last… Read More…

Sujal Patel’s love letter to startups: 6 reasons why you should make the plunge

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The University of Washington computer science department sends more than half of its grads to just four companies: Amazon, Facebook, Google and Microsoft. And while those tech giants pay well — on average more than $100,000 for software developers — they’ve certainly moved well beyond the startup phase. So, what’s it going to take to… Read More…

Eric Benhamou leaving RealNetworks board

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Eric Benhamou is stepping down from the board of RealNetworks, according to an SEC filing. Benhamou, who has served as a director since 2003, will continue to serve as lead independent director, chair of the audit committee, and a member of the compensation and strategic transactions committees of the board of directors (what a mouthful!) until… Read More…

RealNetworks to run divisions as standalone units in possible prelude to bigger moves

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RealNetworks plans to start running three of its divisions as standalone business units, saying it wants to make them more accountable for their own financial and operational performance. The company’s RealPlayer, Software as a Service and Games units will become more autonomous as a result of the changes. RealNetworks declined to comment beyond a regulatory… Read More…

RealNetworks cuts 80 jobs, more ahead — Glaser says it sucks but he has a plan

Rob Glaser (Photo: Tyler Sipe)

RealNetworks is cutting 80 jobs, or 7 percent of its workforce, and plans to eliminate an additional 80 positions in the coming months as founder Rob Glaser, back as interim CEO, tries to position the Seattle tech company for a turnaround. The company disclosed the layoffs in a regulatory filing this afternoon. “When I came… Read More…

Tech Moves: Buster Benson lands at Twitter; Zulily hires a top lawyer; Coinstar changes; etc.

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Sometimes people announce new jobs with an email, or a LinkedIn update. Seattle entrepreneur Buster Benson, the former Amazon.com developer who co-founded Rob0t Co-op, announced his new gig by posting photos of the office space of the tech giant he was joining on Instagram and having his followers guess. Facebook? Nope. Amazon.com? Nope. Starbucks? Nope…. Read More…

RealPlayer for Android exits beta with new premium option

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RealNetworks released its free RealPlayer for Android today, bringing the app out of beta and attempting to grab the attention of Android users with an all-in-one player for video, audio and photos, plus social media sharing and other features. With the release, the company also added a set of premium features, available for a one-time,… Read More…