May 27, 2008
Akimbo jumps into deadpool, takes $56 million with it
TechCrunch
Jason Kincaid recounts the fall of online video provider, Akimbo.
“Akimbo , the online video provider that never seemed to establish an identity, has closed its doors. The sudden move is surprising, given that the site raised $4 million in funding less than three months ago. According to VentureBeat , the entire staff has been laid off, save for three members who are staying on to facilitate the company’s shutdown. The company had raised $56 million over multiple rounds of funding, with investors including AT&T and Cisco.”
Advertising isn’t a mobile strategy
Techdirt
Timothy Lee looks at what enables mobile advertising to actually work.
“Mobile advertising will only work if companies figure out how to make the overall user experience positive so that the ads don’t scare users away. The way to do that is not to focus on building the best possible mobile ad platform, but rather to build the best possible mobile services, and worry about monetizing them after they’ve built up a significant user base.”
Wii Fit = Mii Fat
Network World
Keith Shaw reviews Wii Fit and Nintendo’s new Balance Board for the gaming system.
“I ran through the first set of exercise games and went through the registration process, where you step on the balance board and it measures your body measurement index (or body mass index) and weight. The game…basically told me that for my height, weight and age, that I was ‘obese.’ The ultimate insult was that the game then changed the look of my Mii character, the avatar that you create to represent you in the video games. Based on my numbers, my Mii went from an average build to a tubbo. Now there’s some inspiration, to lose weight so my Mii looks healthier.”