Adobe Prepares For A Possible Future Without Flash (ADBE, GOOG, AAPL)

Give Adobe credit: While it's still trying to make a version of its Flash software that is acceptable for tablets and smartphones, it's also preparing for a digital publishing future that may not revolve around Flash.

Adobe's latest move is to integrate Medialets' advertising platform into its Digital Publishing Suite for iPad and tablet publishers. (Medialets is a mobile/rich media ad startup in New York.)

Medialets' ad technology does not use Flash, but does work on the iPad, Android devices, the forthcoming BlackBerry PlayBook, etc.

While it has taken Adobe a while to make this sort of move, it's ultimately smart. Adobe's core business is selling software tools and services to publishers, whether it's Flash, this Digital Publishing Suite, Photoshop, Omniture analytics, or whatever.

Adobe should aim to support whatever the market dictates, as well as it can, whether it's an Adobe-owned platform or not. And that's what it seems to be doing here.

This new integration with Medialets could help publishers generate ad revenue from their Adobe-produced iPad and tablet content. (It includes Medialets' back-end ad server, not just its multimedia ad creative format. To be fair, that would be useful with or without Flash.)

And that, in turn, should help publishers embrace Adobe tools and services -- and pay lots of money for them -- as opposed to shopping with the competition or building their own.

If this works out, don't be surprised to see Adobe as a potential acquirer for Medialets.

Background: While Adobe's Flash technology is the leader for web video, animation, and rich media advertising, it has not repeated its success on smartphones or tablets. Part of that is because Adobe has failed to make a version of Flash that is good enough to run on smaller devices without eating up half the battery. And part of that is because Apple -- the tablet market leader, and one of the smartphone leaders -- has refused to allow Flash on its devices.

Read: iPad 2 Extends Apple's Lead: Why Apple Will Dominate The Tablet Market For Years

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Adobe Prepares For A Possible Future Without Flash (ADBE, GOOG, AAPL)

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Groupon Prepares To Raise As Much As $950 Million

Groupon just filed a certificate to authorize an astounding $950 million fundraise at a $6.4 billion valuation, VC Experts reports.

The certificate is a sort of heads up, filed before the deal is done.

The certificate authorizes up to $950 million. It's not certain Groupon will raise that much.

VC Experts says "a Form D outlining the exact amount raised should be filed next week."

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason tells us, "we'll let you know if we have news about fundraising."

$950 million is a huge chunk of change, but Groupon could use the money. It already employees 3,000 people. Because it's a sales-heavy business, it's going to need many more people to keep growing so fast.

This round is different than the last big one Groupon did with Russian holding company Digital Sky Technologies in that Groupon's new investor will get voting shares this time around.

A couple weeks ago, Groupon rejected a $6 billion offer from Google because board members feared anti-trust issues would plague the merger for months.

Groupon is just one of several successful startups based out of Chicago and founded by entrepreneurs Brad Keywell and Eric Lefkofsky.

Meet the soon-to-be Groupon millionaires and billionaires >>

Correction: An earlier version of this post said Groupon raised $950 million. Groupon has actually just filed to authorize a raise of as much as $950 million.

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See Also:

• Here's Why DST Won't Invest In Twitter
• DST Invested Over $500 Million In Facebook
• See The Other Startups Founded By Groupon's Soon-To-Be Billionaires

Groupon Prepares To Raise As Much As $950 Million

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Groupon Prepares To Raise $950 Million

Groupon just filed a certificate to authorize an astounding $950 million fundraise at a $6.4 billion valuation, VC Experts reports.

The certificate is a sort of heads up.

VC Experts says "a Form D outlining the exact amount raised should be filed next week."

$950 million is a huge chunk of change, but Groupon could use the money. It already employees 3,000 people.

This round is different than the last big one Groupon did with Russian holding company Digital Sky Technologies in that Groupon's new investor will get voting shares this time around.

Because it's a sales-heavy business, it's going to need many more people to keep growing so fast.

Click here for more details.

Join the conversation about this story »

Groupon Prepares To Raise $950 Million

Backlink: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/zSKm0LbIem0/groupon-raises-an-amazing-950-million-2010-12

AT&T; prepares to battle ‘The End’ of its Monopoly in iPhone Exclusivity

Having dominated Smartphone sales for a long time now and in that achieving large revenue from the sale of Apple’s iPhones, AT&T; could face some problems in the near future. These problems could be the result of alleged rumours indicating the closure of AT&T;’s contract of bearing exclusive rights to sell iPhones. Another gossip that is doing rounds is that Verizon Wireless will take over the exclusive rights from the incumbent store AT&T; to market and sell iPhones and this will happen from the first quarter of 2011. Keeping this in mind the AT&T; store has gone ahead and readied itself by broadening its product portfolio and also struck a new deal that could delight Smartphone users.

AT&T; prepares to battle ‘The End’ of its Monopoly in iPhone Exclusivity

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