• Is Fab.com Worth $1 Billion?
    Design-focused retail site Fab.com is reportedly ready to raise more than $100 million in funding at a $1 billion valuation. “At Fab’s last round of financing, the company was worth around $600 million,” TechCrunch notes.  “Twelve million users strong, Fab is continuing to grow at a fast clip after its initial pivot.” 
  • Microsoft Meets Activist Investor
    A hedge fund with a history of shaking up companies revealed this week that it owns about $2 billion in Microsoft stock. “Jeffrey W. Ubben, founder of ValueAct Capital Management LP, discussed the stake Monday at an investor conference,” The Wall Street Journal reports. “The disclosure revived hopes among some Microsoft investors that an influential shareholder could spur changes to a stock price roughly even with 2002 levels.” 
  • Salesforce.com Bows Social Campaign Manager
    Designed to compliment its other cloud-based services, Salesforce.com just rolled out Social.com -- a self-serve application for agencies, brands, developers, retailers and advertisers to develop, automate, and manage their social ad campaigns. “Social.com stems from Salesforce’s acquisition of Buddy Media and its subsidiary, the London-based Brighter Option,” ZDNet notes. 
  • Netflix Surpasses HBO In Subscribers
    For the first time, Netflix surpassed HBO in subscribers in the first quarter of 2013. “Netflix, which ended 2012 with 27.15 million domestic subs, added just over 2 million subs [in Q1],” Variety reports, citing Netflix’s own numbers. HBO, meanwhile, ended 2012 with 28.7 million subscribers, according to data from SNL Kagan. “The new figures will likely escalate the rivalry simmering between the two companies,” Variety suggests. 
  • Senate Eyes Internet Sales Tax
    Sending some online retailers into a panic, the Senate could pass legislation this week that would gives states the power to tax online purchases, The Hill’s Hillicon Valley blog reports. “Supporters argue the bill would close an unfair loophole that benefits online retailers over local brick-and-mortar stores,” it writes. Under current law, states can only collect sales taxes from retailers that have a physical presence in their state. 
  • Google Now Coming To Desktops?
    Google Now could be coming to a desktop near you -- “not just via Chrome but through the Google homepage itself,” TechCrunch reports. Now turns search histories, content found in emails and the like into information its predicts users need. “It’s sort of an anticipatory Siri,” according to TechCrunch. “Google Now is one of the best things to happen to Android in a while.” 
  • Comedy Central Hosting "Festival" On Twitter
    All week, Comedy Central is hosting a “comedy festival” on Twitter -- “with comedians posting video snippets of routines and round tables and posting jokes using the hashtag #ComedyFest,” as The New York Times reports. “The partnership between Comedy Central … and Twitter represents the evolving relationship between television and social media.” 
  • Facebook Home Failing To Woo Users?
    Just over a week after its launch, Facebook’s mobile app for Android devices, Home, has surpassed 500,000 downloads via Google Play. In a word, Venture Beat calls the adoption “slow” -- adding that Home only has a two-star average rating on Google Play. “In comparison, the core Facebook app has between 100 million and 500 million installations and a four-star rating on Google Play.” 
  • Google Prepping Game Center?
    Appealing to gamers of all ages, Google is reportedly preparing to launch a game center for Android. “It looks like the new hub will sport a slew of features, including multiplayer support, in-game chat, lobbies, leaderboards, and achievements,” The Next Web reports. “It’s definitely exciting to think Google is developing something that will completely change the (mobile) game.” 
  • Google Getting $40M Fiber Optics Network For $1
    Provo, a city of 115,000 just south of Salt Lake City, really wants Google to run its high-speed Internet and television service. So much so, in fact, that the small city is selling the search giant its municipal fiber-optic system -- which cost $39 million to build -- for a dollar, The Associated Press reports. “Provo officials say Google's deal is a good one for the city and its residents because the system hasn't been able to support itself,” AP reports. 
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