Will Netflix become acquisition bait?

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Shares of Netflix have been absolutely hammered in the past five days, with the one-time high-flying video streaming service shedding almost 20 percent of its value after announcing that it will likely lose money next year. Netflix’s market value has collapsed in recent months, with investors now valuing the company at $3.7 billion. Just two… Read More…

Microsoft gobbles up VideoSurf, a video search startup backed by Al Gore

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Microsoft has been pretty quiet on the acquisition front in recent months, ever since shelling out $8.5 billion for Skype. But the software giant is starting to put some of its cash pile to use again, with reports out today that the company is buying San Mateo, California-based video search startup VideoSurf for about $70… Read More…

What Seattle really needs: A world-class private tech university

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Seattle has top-notch engineers, well-respected technology giants and a culture of entrepreneurialism and risk taking. So, what’s the region really lacking when it comes to becoming a world-class technology hub? I get asked that question a lot, and many of you have shared your thoughts on the matter in the comment threads of GeekWire over… Read More…

Nintendo’s Fils-Amie loves Zelda, and presents a very special gift to Jimmy Fallon

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Reggie Fils-Aime certainly has no shortage of choices when it comes to picking a favorite game. But, as it turns out, the president of Nintendo of America is more of a Zelda fanatic than a Mario guy. Speaking to the Games Blog, Fils-Aime said that his favorite title of all time is Zelda. “Me personally?… Read More…

TEDx Rainier: Live online from the University of Washington

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TEDx Rainier is being held today at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus in Seattle, the latest in a series of independently organized events in the spirit of the popular TED conferences. The event in Seattle today features a wide-ranging lineup of speakers, giving a variety of informative and inspiring talks on topics… Read More…

How to sell your startup to Google: Travel in first class between Seattle and the Valley

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Entrepreneur Dan Shapiro –who sold Sparkbuy to Google back in May and merged Ontela with Photobucket in 2009 — offers some advice on selling your startup company at the Lean Startup Meetup Monday night in Seattle. Interestingly, Shapiro started out his talk by taking a counter position to Rich Barton’s advice at the GeekWire Meetup… Read More…

Demo Day: Advice from ‘The Godfathers’ of Seattle tech (Video)

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A few weeks ago, Andy Sack and other members of TechStars made a plea to the entrepreneurial titans of Seattle to attend Demo Day, the investment pitch session in which 10 startup companies from the incubator strut their stuff. It was a bold attempt to get the likes of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and other so-called… Read More…

Amazon strikes Disney-ABC deal, Netflix basically matches it

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Amazon.com announced a content deal with Disney-ABC Television Group this morning, continuing to expand the catalog of streaming movies and TV shows available at no extra charge to members of its Amazon Prime subscription service. Not to be outdone, Netflix simultaneously announced an extension of its existing ABC-Disney licensing agreement, involving streaming rights to many of the… Read More…

How to buy a phone: Watch the AmazonWireless rap video

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Buying a new mobile phone can be a serious pain. To sort through the mess, Amazon.com has resorted to short-form video vignettes to tout its wireless store. The online retailer recently partnered with Zooppa to host the Amazon Freedom to Choose Video Contest, asking for video submissions of 60-seconds or less that best show how Amazon.com… Read More…

Video: Meet a few customers who love AT&T’s network

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You’ve heard the horror stories of AT&T’s network, with customers complaining about dropped calls and poor connectivity. In fact, a prominent Seattle venture capitalist told me earlier this week that he can’t wait until November when his AT&T contract expires, so he can run out and get a new iPhone 4S on Verizon. But maybe… Read More…