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Digg’s Kevin Rose launches Pownce

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Digg’s founder, Kevin Rose, has created a new web based sharing network called Pownce. Users can share files, messages, events, and links “really fast”. All basic features are free.

Pownce is a great way to send stuff to people you know. Add friends, then send them big files, invite them to upcoming events, share great links, and whip off a note to anyone, everyone, or just a few people.

At least to start, we’re keeping some control over registration so that we can scale the system under control. Scaling? It basically means that if a ton of people joined all at once at the beginning our site might slow down to a crawl. That would suck for everyone. So, as we get confident with the performance of the site, we’ll begin letting more and more people in.

As early as now, there are so many negative comments from readers of TechCrunch, citing it is no different from Facebook, Twitter, or from any regular email features.

I guess the big question is: Will Pownce reach the stardom enjoyed by Digg?

Originally posted on June 28, 2007 @ 1:37 pm

HeartFailureCenter: a “one-stop” site for heart failure concerns

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hf.jpg With almost 50,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with heart failure each month, a “one-stop” Web site called HeartFailureCenter.com is created to consolidate the Internet’s massive amount of information on this disease into one unique online location.

The new site is replete with a wide variety of information, from a patient health survey, heart condition information, treatment options and regional resource directories, to an extensive article library, blog, chat room, and the latest news and media clips featuring top experts in the field.

“The objective of this site is to help people explore their options … to educate, and to provide one, user-friendly source with hard-to-find facts about heart failure,” said VP Kent Richards. “Dealing with heart failure can be overwhelming and requires a multi-faceted approach. We’re supplying individuals with critical information, enabling them to make educated treatment decisions.”

Originally posted on June 26, 2007 @ 1:12 pm

Hotwire shares 7 practical summer travel tips

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hotwire.jpg Hotwire.com, a leading discount travel site with low rates on airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages, offers seven easy tips to help steal a deal this summer. This is in light of escalating gas prices, increasing hotel rates, and packed airlines.

“Travelers should know that the joy of a summer getaway doesn’t need to be overshadowed by the stress and expense involved with planning a trip,” said Travel expert Clem Bason. “Flexibility is the key, and a tiny change in plans can lead to big vacation savings.”

If you are interested with other travel news, read our recent posts about Top 20 Pet Friendly Summer Vacations of 2007, Expedia’s new service for unmanaged business travelers, and TripAdvisor’s new traveler network.

Originally posted on June 26, 2007 @ 1:48 pm

Two more convicted for selling pirated software to eBay

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ebay1.jpg Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher for the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Steven M. Biskupic for the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced today that two more defendants pleaded guilty in Milwaukee to charges of criminal copyright infringement as a result of their selling counterfeit software on eBay.

Robert Koster of Jonesboro and Yutaka Yamamoto pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit Rockwell Automation computer software over the Internet. The software sold by the two defendants had a combined retail value of almost $6 million. Each defendant faces up to five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release.

These pleas bring the total number of felony convictions involving the eBay auction sales of counterfeit Rockwell Automation software to nine. In addition to six pleas in Wisconsin, there have been two convictions in the Eastern District of Michigan and another in the Southern District of Indiana. The combined retail value of the counterfeit software in all nine prosecutions is approximately $30 million.

Online auction sales of counterfeit and pirated goods have increased exponentially in recent years, causing significant losses to the copyright and trademark industries. The Department of Justice’s initiative to combat online auction piracy is just one of several steps being undertaken to address these losses and hold responsible those defendants engaged in criminal copyright infringement.

Originally posted on June 26, 2007 @ 9:10 am

Yahoo! restructures US sales team

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yahoo_ad.jpg After appointing a new CEO and acquiring Rivals.com, global Internet company Yahoo! Will now combine its Search and Display advertising sales teams in the US, and has appointed David Karnstedt, currently senior vice president of Yahoo!’s Search sales business, to lead the unified organization as Head of North American Sales.

As a result of these changes, Yahoo!’s integrated sales organization will be the first of its kind to offer the widest selection of advertising products coupled with the broadest scale of search and display inventory to customers.

“By taking a more holistic approach to advertising sales, Yahoo! Will become a more consultative seller, which should make buying complete solutions easier for our customers across Yahoo! and our partner network,” said Karnstedt. “These moves will also enable our world class sales team to more effectively meet the needs of our advertisers – not just today but well into the future.”

Yahoo! is moving aggressively to build-on its long-term leadership position in display advertising, while further strengthening its strong position in search.

Originally posted on June 25, 2007 @ 1:10 pm