I was at the Under the Radar cloud computing conference on Friday. I didn't have the chops to evaluate most of these companies, and certainly not based on their brief 6-minute pitches. Watching the demo of Cloudkick, for example, which is showing a new tool, Cloudshift, that lets you transfer an app from one cloud service (like Amazon EC2) to another (like Slicehost) is impressive, but you can't tell how well it works in the real world from the pitch.
I'm not the only person here who's skeptical. At a panel discussion this morning, corporate IT execs expressed a hesitancy to adopt cloud services in their businesses, in part because they're afraid of the cost of adopting the services. Other IT execs fear the security of cloud services. It is, however, unlikely they'll be able to stop the cloud from coming into their companies. Just as PCs, wireless networks, and smartphones have come into the enterprise, and most importantly latched onto corporate networks behind firewalls, cloud services are coming into business as non-IT personnel pay for services on their credit cards and hook them into their workflows.
Judges Peter Cohen, Sunil Dhaliwal, Lew Moorman, and David Powers consider a start-up's pitch at Under the Radar.
(Credit: Rafe Needleman/CNET)This is freaking some CIOs out, says Oren Michels, CEO of Mashery, which helps companies manage API access to services. He recommends embracing cloud apps. "When CIOs block productivity, they're screwed," he says. For companies building cloud-based products, likewise, his advice is to forget appealing to the CIO. "There is no way in a start-up's time horizon that they're going to be selling to CIOs," he says.
Matthew Glotzbach, director of product management for Google Enterprise (and one of the judges on pitch session I was moderating), says IT execs are bifurcated. "Some get it, they're putting the controls in place and encouraging use of the services."
Rackspace, traditionally a hosting company, is splitting the difference. It's getting with the cloud program, but is not giving up its traditional service of providing actual physical machines locked in server cages for their customers who want them. Lew Moorman, Rackspace's chief strategy officer, is running the company's cloud business. The company recently reported that under 10 percent of its business is coming from its cloud-based application hosting services, Cloud Sites, Cloud Servers, and Cloud Files, but Moorman told me that the cloud business is growing at over 100 percent a year. He declined to project when the "lines will cross," and Rackspace's cloud business will overtake the hosting business it was originally based on.
But he does believe it will happen. Many businesses, he says, will need both traditional hosted services, where they have near absolute control of their computing environments, and cloud services for more run-of-the-mill apps and for services that have highly variable usage patterns or that need to be brought online very quickly. "The cloud is for everyone, but not for everything," he says, even though, "it is the ultimate productization of hosting."
The moderator's view of a pitch. This is Heroku's James Lindenbaum.
(Credit: Rafe Needleman/CNET)I moderated two sessions. In the first, three Web app testing services presented: SauceLabs, which runs your Web app testing scripts against multiple browsers at the same time; uTest, a marketplace for professional beta testers; and Zephyr, which manages testing programs. SauceLabs had a great pitch. uTest is basically a product testing service, except you never know exactly who will be doing your testing.
I also moderated a session with four application development companies. I liked best Twilio, which pitched its super-simple solution for creating voice/touchtone apps that run over phones using well-known Web development techniques.
I always see venture capitalists at these Under the Radar events, but this one is full of heavy hitters, folks I generally only see at the high-end conferences like D and Demo. One VC who traditionally invests in consumer Web companies, Jeff Clavier, told me the reason he's here is that nearly all the companies he's been looking at are using cloud services for their infrastructure. He's following the money, as are the other investors here.
In the current economy, the allure of cloud services is in part financial. As investor Kent Goldman says, with cloud services, "everything that was a fixed cost becomes variable."
RetailMeNot, an online destination for coupons and discounts, announced Tuesday that it has a new printable coupon offering, dubbed RetailMeNot Printable. According to the company, users will be able to print more than 90,000 coupons from thousands of companies.
RetailMeNot also announced that it has partnered with MoneyMailer, Redplum, and Valpak, to provide its users with more printable in-store coupons. The company didn't disclose the details, but it did say that it will continue to add partners to expand the volume of the coupons it offers. Its Printable service is live now.
Rhode Island's general treasurer, Frank T. Caprio, announced Tuesday that he will use Twitter to broadcast the state's cash flow on a daily basis. According to Caprio, each day's tweet will provide gross revenue and expenditure information of the General Fund. Caprio claims his office wanted to be open with the community and Twitter, he felt, was the best way to achieve that. To follow Caprio, click here.
Online travel itinerary service TripIt has unveiled an iPhone app that will keep the user's TripIt itineraries available whether on 3G, offline, or in airplane mode. According to the company, TripIt will provide links to airlines, hotels, restaurants, and more. It also has maps and directions at the ready. The app is available now for free in the Apple App Store.
Goom Radio, a newly-founded New York-based online radio company, raised $16 million in a round of funding that was led by Wellington Partners Venture Capital. The company plans to use the funding to launch its service, hire a dedicated sales team, and build out its infrastructure. Goom Radio plans to launch later this year.
Online streaming video service Stickam announced that its offering is now available to all Java-enabled phones. Users will be able to stream video over the Web from their mobile phones with the help of the company's app, Stickam Mobile. According to the company, Stickam Mobile is now available to more than 100 Java-enabled devices, including models from RIM, LG, Nokia, and HTC. The Android-based G1 from T-Mobile is also supported.
Online photo-editing service Picnik announced Monday that it has inked a deal with social-publishing platform Wetpaint. According to the company, Wetpaint's publishing offering will now feature Picnik's photo-editing services. Once Wetpaint users click "edit photo," they will have full access to Picnik's tools. The integrated service is available now to all Wetpaint users.
Cooliris, a company that provides online 3D services, announced that it has raised $15 million in its second round of funding. The round was led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers. It plans to use the funding to expand its new "3D Wall" service, which allows users to browse media online in 3D.
Online ad network Collective Media announced that it has closed a $20 million round of funding. The round was led by Accel Partners. The company plans to use the funding to "fuel organic growth" and explore acquisitions both domestically and abroad. So far, there is no word on possible acquisition targets Collective Media might be courting.
The Free Music Archive, an organization created by WFMU, a "freeform" radio station, has officially launched into beta. So far, the site has 5,000 tracks that users can download for free. According to the site's founders, the Free Music Archive is aimed at becoming a repository of tracks, remixes, and music clips for personal consumption. Any of the songs can be added to podcasts, video shows, or a playlist. No licensing fees or royalties will be charged. The organization hopes that through free downloads, more people will buy an artist's full album. Along with a download link, each individual track page has a link to the artist's album page. That page makes the full album available for purchase. The Free Music Archive is live now.
Insurance company Geico has launched a new site to provide visitors with all the information they need about Geico-sponsored car racing teams. Dubbed GeicoGarage, the new site provides access to the company's NASCAR program. It features updated news and photos on all the teams, as well as bios, competition schedules, and downloads.
Enterprise collaboration service Socialtext recently announced that it has raised $4.5 million in a new round of financing that was led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Omidyar Networks. The company's founder said in a blog post that he plans to use the funding to improve the product.
Social-banking firm SmartyPig announced Thursday that it has launched a new mobile site. The site will allow users to quickly access account information, as well as view the status of their financial goals. They can also track transaction history and transfer funds from their mobile device. The mobile site is optimized for the iPhone, but the company says that users on Android-based devices will be able to see the site just fine. The SmartyPig mobile site is live now.
A man who didn't want to be photographed for Google Street View turned the tables on the online giant and threatened to take a picture of the Street View vehicle and its driver unless it moved on, the Telegraph is reporting. It didn't, so he started snapping pictures. The driver in the Google vehicle became upset that the photographer was taking pictures of him and shouted to the man to stop taking pictures of him. He then asked for his face to be blurred. Individual faces are also blurred in Google StreetView images.
12seconds, a service that lets users tell others what they're up to in 12-second videos, announced Thursday that it has launched a new service called, 12omercial. The company hopes the service will become the "tweetable video commercial." Brand sponsors and companies will be asking users to create 12omercials on their behalf. Those who record the best video will receive "12 seconds of fame to goods and other prizes, as determined by the sponsor." All the videos can be added to Twitter, uploaded to Facebook, or embedded into a blog.
So far, 12seconds has signed on two sponsors--LG and Xobni. LG's sponsorship will go live with the launch of the site. The company is asking users to talk about the "things they do with their phones that they probably shouldn't be doing" to promote the company's new device, the Versa. The Xobni sponsorship will start next week.
TunesBag, a site that lets users upload music files and stream those over the Web, announced Thursday that it has launched an Adobe AIR application for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. The app allows users to buy tracks through Amazon and iTunes and share those songs with friends on social networks. Any songs on the user's computer can also be added to the library and played either on the desktop or through the company's online app. The TunesBag desktop app is free to download.
WatchMojo, a site that provides professionally-produced instructional videos, announced Thursday that it has hosted more than 50 million video views since its launch. According to the company, its growth has doubled in the past few months and its production costs have remained relatively stable. It expects that dynamic to continue going forward.
Business domain marketplace BuyDomains launched the company's first domain name referral program Thursday. Dubbed the BuyDomains Referral Program, the service will allow users to earn money by selling domains from the NameMedia domain portfolio, as well as sites owned by individual domain investors. Those who sign up for the program will download a configurable widget that provides consumers with access to the company's inventory of domain names. The program is live now.
WorldGaming, a site that allows console video game players to challenge each other to earn cash, announced Wednesday that it has officially launched to the public. Along with that announcement, the site has launched a 30-day online "launch party" that will give users the opportunity to join daily tournaments, earn cash, and receive sign-up bonuses.
WorldGaming allows users to challenge each other on genres like first-person shooters and sports games. The players add funds to their personal accounts and mutually decide how much cash to play for. After the game is over, WorldGaming verifies who won and awards the victor with the agreed-upon money taken from the loser's account. WorldGaming says the service is legal because it's a "game of skill."
Enterprise Content Management company Open Text, announced Wednesday that it has acquired digital media firm Vizible. According to the company, the addition of Vizible will help Open Text expand its digital media services and offer companies video, audio, graphics, and photography.
Open Text also plans to use Vizible's technology to help its clients syndicate their media content to consumers, businesses, and other customers over an open-standards platform. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Open Text will add the Vizible team to the company's Digital Media Group.
FreeWheel, a company that helps mobile app developers deliver advertisements, announced Wednesday that it has signed a deal with video site Joost to become the company's exclusive provider of video ads in the Joost iPhone app. The ads are now being displayed in the free Joost app.
Adgregate Markets, a company that allows users to access advertisements through banner widgets, has signed a deal with Google DoubleClick, the company announced Tuesday. The company's ShopAds widget, which displays ads and sale information on a Web page in place of a banner, is now available to all Google DoubleClick users. Whenever a user views the widget and sees something they'd like to buy, they can click on the ad in the widget and automatically "add it to the cart." They can then buy the product without leaving the page they're on.
Neither Adgregate Markets nor Google would disclose the deal's specifics, but TechCrunch is reporting that there will be a revenue-sharing arrangement between the companies. Adgregate Markets' ShopAds platform will be available to all Google DoubleClick users starting Tuesday.
Almaz Capital Russia Fund I, a venture fund containing mostly Cisco capital, announced Tuesday that it has invested $11 million in virtualization vendor Parallels, as well as mobile social-network platform developer Apollo Project. According to the company, it plans to invest in growth-stage Russian software and IT companies going forward.
Online educational service Knewton raised $6 million in Series B funding. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners. Accel Partners and First Round Capital also participated in the round. The company hopes to use the funding to become a staple in the enterprise space, while continuing to offer its service to consumers.
Socialcast, a company that provides social communication for the enterprise, announced Tuesday that it has secured $1.4 million in a Series A round of funding. The round was led by True Ventures. Well-known blogger Om Malik, founder of the GigaOm blog network and partner at True Ventures, will join Socialcast's board of directors.
LoanMarket.net announced on Monday that it has launched its online marketplace for buying and selling mortgages.
According to the company, its service allows both buyers and sellers to come together in a "neutral, open marketplace" to trade mortgages and other real-estate secured note investments.
The site has a variety of sellers, including mortgage originators, banks, and lending institutions, mortgage pool investors, small private investors, and seller carry-back note holders. All the notes listed on the site include current market value information, as well as a photo of the property taken within 14 days of the post. All vital loan documentation, such as the note, deed, and title will also be included in the listing. The site is live now.
Vertical ad network Glam Media raised $10 million in a round of funding that was led by Mizuho Bank, the company announced Monday. According to the company, it will use the funding to continue its expansion in the United States, and grow its operation in Japan and Germany.
Glam Media also announced on Monday that it has formed a joint venture with agencies and media companies in Japan. Dubbed Glam Media Japan, the venture combines the country's third-largest advertising agency, Asatsu-DK, and a variety of other Japanese firms with Glam.
Revolution Money, a company that helps users reduce the cost of credit cards online, announced on Monday that it has raised $42 million in a Series C round of funding led by Goldman Sachs. Citigroup and Morgan Stanley also participated in the round. The company plans to use the funding to grow its cost reduction operation.
Online real-estate search site Zillow announced on Monday that it has inked deals with Leads360 and LoanSifter, firms that specialize in real-estate leads and loan information, respectively, to improve the site's Mortgage Marketplace.
Users can now follow leads and use LoanSifter's loan-pricing engine to get accurate information about how much a mortgaged property will really cost. The new features are available now on Zillow.
Aircell, the company that offers Gogo Inflight Internet service to airline passengers, announced on Thursday that based on internal research, Gogo customer visits to NCAA-focused sites increased 953 percent during the first and second rounds of NCAA Tournament play.
Visits to sports-focused sites in general were up 123 percent from February. The most visited NCAA site on Gogo was CBSSports.com (Disclosure: CBSSports.com is a part of CBS Interactive, which also publishes CNET News.)
Real-estate search site Trulia announced Thursday that it set new records for site traffic in the first quarter of 2009. According to the company, visits were up 40 percent year over year, and property views increased by 50 percent over 2008. The site's overall page views increased 63 percent in 2009. Is Trulia's success an indication that the real-estate market is coming around?
Glu Mobile, a provider of mobile games, has debuted 30 titles on the newly launched BlackBerry App World. The 30 titles, which focus mainly on games, include Brain Genius 2, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, and others. The titles are available now in the BlackBerry App World. The same apps are already available in the Apple App Store.
Online research company LexisNexis announced on Thursday that it has signed a deal with the Internal Revenue Service that will make it the exclusive provider of a "comprehensive set of online tax research solutions."
Under terms of the deal, LexisNexis will provide the organization with its Tax Center and Tax Advisor services, giving the IRS better information on finding tax errors. IRS customer service agents, revenue officers, attorneys, and auditors will have access to the services.
Disney Online announced on Wednesday that it has acquired "a number" of assets from family site Kaboose.
According to the company, Kaboose assets were acquired for $18 million. Kaboose sites, including BabyZone and AmazingMoms, will become part of Disney's existing family properties. The deal will be completed once the acquisition attains shareholder approval.
FileLater, an authorized IRS e-file provider, announced on Wednesday that it is now the only online service to provide both businesses and consumers the opportunity to file a tax extension before the April 15 deadline. The company said it facilitated the filing of more extensions in March 2009 than it did in all of 2008. It has also enjoyed "five times the traffic" leading up to April 15. FileLater charges $39.95 for business tax extensions and $17.95 for personal income tax extensions.
Online note-taking service Evernote released an updated version of its application for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Dubbed version 2.0, the app now includes landscape view and the option to see thumbnail images of saved content (a la Apple's Coverflow). But more importantly, the free app now includes an integrated browser, which lets users access links within their notes without firing up the Safari browser. The free update is now available in the Apple App Store.
Bicyclist Lance Armstrong's Livestrong site, which provides health, fitness, and lifestyle-related content, on Wednesday announced that its expanding its service to the BlackBerry.
Dubbed Calorie Tracker, Livestrong's app will allow users to input exactly what they're eating throughout the day to determine how many calories they've consumed. Calorie Tracker will be able to locate more than 525,000 food items and 2,000 fitness activities. Users can see how many calories they're consuming and how many they're burning off.
The app even shows information on fat, carbohydrate, and protein intake. It will be preinstalled in the BlackBerry application carousel on all devices released after April 1. It should be noted that Calorie Tracker is currently available in the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPod Touch owners.
