Tech Names Dominate List of World’s Most Valued Brands as Apple and Google Top the List

The tech giants passed up former No. 1 brand Coca-Cola to top Interbrand’s annual rankings.
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News Byte

Former Yahoo Mail Head Taking Key Online Parks Role at Disney

Earlier this week, I reported that Yahoo Mail head Vivek Sharma had left the company. According to sources, he has taken a job as the new GM and SVP of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online. Sharma had clashed with new CEO Marissa Mayer, several sources said.

Small Is Beautiful: Greycroft Partners Raises $175 Million in Third Fund

The New York- and Los Angeles-based firm said it wants to make sure its does not get caught up in the froth.

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Disney Profit Rises 12 Percent

Walt Disney Co.’s fiscal first-quarter profit rose 12 percent, helped by revised contracts with broadcast affiliates and increased customer spending and attendance at its theme parks.

News Byte

Online Travel Agencies Pounce on Obama’s Plan to Encourage Tourism

President Obama outlined a plan today that would encourage more tourists to visit the U.S. — an announcement welcomed by online travel agencies. The plan includes deploying more consuls, reducing visa-processing times and revising the list of countries whose citizens don’t need visas.

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Google Ponders Pay-TV Business

Internet giant Google Inc. is considering a plan to offer paid cable-TV services to consumers, a move that could unleash a new wave of competition within the traditional TV business.

Al Gore on Steve Jobs, Tim Cook and Apple’s Board (Video)

The Apple board member says the company is set up to succeed without its iconic founder.

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Apple's Ad Service Off to Bumpy Start

Apple Inc. is facing some early challenges in its closely watched mobile advertising foray, with some ad campaigns experiencing delays as agencies attempt to learn the new system amid Apple’s tight control over the creative process, according to ad executives.

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Disney Plans Get a Cold Reception Online

Walt Disney won’t make Shanghai the happiest place in the world. That’s the early reaction from a surprising number of netizens, or Chinese Internet users, to confirmation early Wednesday that plans for Shanghai Disneyland have the green light to proceed. Of the posts streaming into tianya.cn, a major portal, early Wednesday, the negative views were solidly outweighing positive views.

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Disney Touts a Way to Ditch the DVD

Walt Disney Co. is close to unveiling technology that it says will enable entertainment companies to adapt their business models to a new reality in which consumers increasingly rely on computers and cell phones in place of DVD players and TVs.

Fox Slaps Back (Legally) at Redbox

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Netflix to Stream Hannah Montana Contagion

Steve Ballmer: Tenacious B

Goodbye Sister Disc

Kara Visits NATPE in Las Vegas

ShameBob Unfairpants

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