MoPub, the mobile advertising business that Twitter acquired for $350 million in stock right before it filed for an IPO, had only $6.5 million in net revenue in the first half of 2013, according to a new disclosure by Twitter to the SEC.
Previously, the only gauge of MoPub's size in the marketplace was an estimated revenue "run-rate" of $100 million. That number presumably included MoPub's clients' spending on mobile ads, which is passed through the company. The "net revenue" number is the sales fees and commissions that MoPub keeps for serving its clients.
So people expected MoPub's net revenue to be smaller than $100 million.
But just $6.5 million over 6 months? From a company that employs about 100 people? That's a shock to those observing the deal. Twitter didn't disclose MoPub's gross revenues, or what the total amount of client spending is behind MoPub's business.
For comparison, Millennial Media, one of MoPub's competitors, had net revenues ("gross profit," as disclosed) of $45 million over the same half-year period on gross revenues of $106 million.
That $6.5 million is up from just $2.7 million in revenue the year before:
- H1 2012: $2.7 million
- H1 2013: -- For more information read the original article here.
Airbnb has just released a new study highlighting the Airbnb community's positive economic impact in New York City.
Conducted by HR&A Advisors, the study found that Airbnb, the popular peer-to-peer apartment sharing startup, generated $632 million in economic activity in New York in one year and supported 4,580 jobs throughout all five boroughs.
Nearly 90% of Airbnb hosts rent out the home they live in and use the money they earn to help make ends meet. Meanwhile, Airbnb guests spend more time and money in New York than typical tourists.
In a statement from Airbnb, other highlights from the study were shared:
● Airbnb visitors stay on average 6.4 nights (compared to 3.9 for hotel guests) and spend $880 at NYC businesses (compared to $690 for average New York visitors).
● Airbnb brings visitors to neighborhoods that traditionally have not benefited from tourism. 82% of Airbnb listings in New York are outside of the main tourist hotel area of midtown Manhattan and the average Airbnb guest spends $740 in the neighborhood where that guest stays.
This study follows last month's news that New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman -- For more information read the original article here.
Google made a big change to the way it displays advertising alongside search results yesterday, one that will likely result in users seeing bigger search ads with more links in them at the top of search pages. That's because the change incentivizes advertisers to use more of Google's "ad extensions" that make search ads look bigger and fancier.
The change will also penalize advertisers who aren't using ad extensions — which is why the change is expected to result in a lot more advertisers using them, and a lot more users seeing them.
A regular Google search ad is pretty simple. It sits in a yellow box at the top of the page, shows the name of the business, its URL, and maybe a short tagline underneath. This, by contrast, is what an ad that uses ad extensions looks like (emphasis added):
Google displays ads based on a formula called "Adrank," which picks the best ad based on the search entered. Google just made ad extensions part of its Adrank formula, the company said, in such a way that favors ad extensions:
Ad extensions and formats can now influence the position -- For more information read the original article here.
Yahoo told employees today that it planned to close its office in Cairo, Egypt, at the end of this year. There are about 40 staffers working there; with the move, there will now be no company presence in Egypt.
Yahoo said it will continue to operate in Amman, Jordan, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East and Africa region, serving users of its Arabic Maktoob site.
A spokesperson for the Silicon Valley Internet service said: “This decision is part of Yahoo's global effort to streamline operations, encourage collaboration by bringing more Yahoos together in fewer locations, and build a strong global business that is set up for long-term growth.”
In a related and larger move, Yahoo closed its operations in South Korea at the end of last year, after it had trouble gaining traction in the market.
-- For more information read the original article here.
The iPhone is one of the most-used cameras in the world. However, in pursuit of the frequently illusive "perfect shot," more often than not you're required to take your iPhone into potential harm's way. The Optrix PhotoPro X (US$149.95) aims to protect your iPhone and enhance its camera in that pursuit.
First, let's start with the case. The PhotoPro X case is designed to withstand the toughest of bumps, scratches and drops. Made from an impact-resistant, custom polycarbonate unibody design, the PhotoPro X case will protect the iPhone from drops of up to 30 feet onto pavement. Oh, and it's waterproof up to 33 feet, too. In fact, it's earned the IPX8 water-immersion rating, the highest awarded to electrical housings.
The case is made up of two components. Firstly, a lightweight, sturdy and snug sled / tray case that the iPhone clips into. This provides low-level protection around the back and sides of the iPhone and is ideal for everyday light protection, though nothing fancy. The second part is the polycarbonate unibody. This has a latch door opening at the top that the iPhone, within the sled / tray case, slides into. It's all very simple to use. Put the iPhone -- For more information read the original article here.