TechFlash

A look back at 15 years of Microsoft advertising

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:50:14 GMT

The Big Money's Win Rosenfeld puts together a comprehensive report on Microsoft's advertising campaigns over the years. The conclusion? For the most part -- except for the recent Laptop Hunters ads -- the campaigns have missed the mark.

Sounders boss Adrian Hanauer on startups, success, soccer

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:47:06 GMT

Sounders FC boss Adrian Hanauer -- who has dabbled in startup investing and whose family made a bundle when Microsoft acquired aQuantive for $6 billion -- is now at the helm of what has to be one of the biggest startup success stories of the year. As the general manager and co-owner of the Seattle Sounders FC soccer club, Hanauer has masterfully guided the team to unprecedented heights in its first year.

Study: More than 77,000 jobs tied to state's biotech industry

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:04:19 GMT

It has been a rough year for the Seattle biotech industry with layoffs, losses and one poorly performing initial public offering. But a new report released today by the Washington Research Council indicates that the industry plays an important role in the state's economy. The report found that 22,349 people work directly in the life sciences industry, with another 55,000 jobs indirectly supported by the industry.

Lenders protest Zillow.com's new fees for mortgage leads

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:37:50 GMT

Earlier this week, an interesting debate broke out on TechFlash after we reported on a dispute between a Seattle plumber and the online directory service HelpHive. The crux of the issue centered on whether HelpHive's system of creating a separate phone number for the businesses listed in its online directory -- including the plumber's -- was a valid business tactic.

Microsoft's new ecosystem: Earth

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:40:37 GMT

Microsoft's Craig Mundie showed this computer model Thursday at the University of Washington to explain the environmental insights to be gleaned from programs that work with huge amounts of data.

Washington state to receive $1.7M for broadband mapping

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:56:26 GMT

Washington State's Department of Information Services will receive $1.7 million in federal funds to work on a broadband mapping project. It also will receive $500,000 for broadband planning activities, with the funds for both projects coming through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Clearwire bolsters exec team

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:02:44 GMT

The management overhaul at Clearwire continues as the Kirkland company looks to expand its broadband wireless network nationwide.

Retailers' online price war moves to DVDs: What's next?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:50:23 GMT

Glaser on RealNetworks cuts

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:50:01 GMT

John Paczkowski of AllThingsD.com got his hands on the internal memo that RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser sent to employees of the company yesterday announcing its latest round of layoffs. The memo provides a little more insight into the company's reasons for eliminating the 70 positions -- simultaneously cementing Glaser's position as one of the last people in the technology industry still using "bucket" as a verb.

Auction offers chance to spend a day with Microsoft's Xbox team

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:25:53 GMT

How much would you pay to spend a day with Microsoft's Xbox 360 development team? In this case, it's not a hypothetical question. A charity auction for the nonprofit Childhaven organization in Seattle is offering people the opportunity to bid on eBay for the right to spend a day with the team in Redmond.

Marchex sees profits decline, but makes $1m on sale of domains

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:59:11 GMT

Marchex reported declining revenue and profits for the third quarter yesterday afternoon, but the Seattle-based online advertising company provided some good news for the Internet domain-name market, saying it sold "a small number of non-strategic domains" that yielded more than $1 million.

A laser-powered space elevator? Seattle team leads NASA contest

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:28:52 GMT

A team from the Seattle area is leading a NASA-sponsored contest that aims to demonstrate the possibilities for space elevators by sending a payload nearly 3,000 feet into the air -- up a cable suspended from a helicopter. The system is powered by beaming energy from the ground through a laser.

Retail experts: Microsoft store strategy smart, not shameful

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:56:07 GMT

If not for the Windows logo outside, people walking through the glass entryways at Microsoft's new retail stores might be surprised to find Windows PCs, not Macs, on the large cedar tables inside.

Google CEO: Hopefully we won't repeat Microsoft's past mistakes

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:07:55 GMT

Windows 7 sales looking up

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:22:21 GMT

New numbers from the NPD research firm show that unit sales of Windows 7 packaged software boomed in the U.S. immediately following its Oct. 22 launch, far outpacing sales of Windows Vista in the first days of its January 2007 release. But Windows 7 hasn't done as well as Vista initially did in spurring new PC sales.

Redfin's real estate Web site crashes after massive overhaul

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:19:38 GMT

Continuing in its goal to open the vault on as much real estate information as possible, Seattle-based Redfin today unveiled new features to its Web site which include automatic links to blog discussions as well as the addition of 9.6 million property photos and 1.4 million recent property sale listings. It is a huge upgrade, with Redfin saying that it increased the amount of data and photos on the site by 340 percent.

Light Sciences Oncology raising up to $35 million in funding

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:58:56 GMT

Light Sciences Oncology, a Bellevue biotechnology company working on treatments for cancer, said today in a SEC filing that it has raised $35 million. The money comes in the form of a $23.3 credit facility, as well as $11.5 million in warrants.

RealNetworks confirms job cuts, citing strategic adjustments

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:46:09 GMT

RealNetworks this afternoon confirmed that it's cutting 70 positions today, saying that the layoffs are taking place primarily within its Technology Products & Solutions and Media Software & Services groups. A little more than half of the cuts are in the United States, most of those at the company's Seattle headquarters.

Online diamond retailer Blue Nile posts 'excellent' results

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:43:25 GMT

If there were any business that you'd think would just be getting hammered in this economic period, it would have to be the sale of diamond jewelry. But that's not the case at Blue Nile, the Seattle online retailer of diamond engagement rings and other jewelry.

Fire to cost Fisher nearly $10m, but insurance to cover big chunk

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:09:00 GMT

The electrical fire this summer at Seattle's Fisher Plaza technology hub is expected to cost Fisher Communications as much as $10 million or more this year in remediation and equipment replacement costs, and a loss on assets, although insurance policies should cover a "significant portion" of the damage, the company said today.