deals « Funlimited

18Jan

Direct Deals Mobile Ad Marketplace Chartboost Expands To Asia

A month after its expansion to Android, Chartboost, the newly launched (already profitable) direct deals mobile ad marketplace for game developers is expanding to Asia. Starting today, the company is rolling out localized versions in Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Though serving the needs of the mobile app community’s need to monetize via ads, Chartboost’s marketplace isn’t like a traditional mobile ad network. Instead, it allows game publishers to do direct deals with each other, and avoid having to share huge chunks of their revenue with ad networks. It operates under a freemium model: the ad-server technology is free when used for direct deals or internal cross-promotion, but the opt-in ad network offers revenue sharing with publishers.

In Asia, the company has already been working with several leading game developers, including Animoca (Hong Kong), Com2US, Nexon Mobile and Devsisters (South Korea). Here in the U.S., it has well-known names like TinyCo, Pocket Gems and Storm8 on board.

Created by former Tapulous employees, Maria Alegre, now Chartboost CEO, and Sean Fannan, CTO, Chartboost closed $2 million in Series A funding in October, with Translink Capital, SKTVC and XG Ventures. At the time, it said it would focus on international expansion going into 2012, starting with Asia.

Says Algere, the new localized versions will allow Asian game developers to acquire U.S. traffic through the Chartboost marketplace.

View full post on TechCrunch » Mobile

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15Dec

2 TV deals for Russell Brand

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15Dec

Verizon’s $300 Galaxy Nexus Price Tag Too High? Check Out These Deals

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When Verizon officially revealed the Galaxy Nexus last night, some of you were surprised to see it sport such a high price tag. Thanks to Verizon’s apparent change in pricing policy, all of their new flagship 4G phones are hovering at around $299. Now if you absolutely have to have a Galaxy Nexus today (something I’m currently debating myself), Verizon stores are likely to be your first thought, but chances are you won’t be alone in your quest.

However, there are bargains to be found if you’re willing to dig a little, and are a few that may make buying a Nexus easier to swallow.

Fry’s Electronics: East Coast Galaxy fans need not apply, but you can snag a Galaxy Nexus from Fry’s for $219 with a new contract, and $249 for an upgrade/contract extension. Not shabby at all, and assuming you live near one, you may be able to enjoy a taste of Ice Cream Sandwich today.

Wirefly: These guys sport the same deal as Fry’s (not a surprise since their online wireless storefronts are powered by the same company), but the units themselves will apparently ship in a few days. Not a bad choice if you live in the middle of nowhere.

AmazonWireless: They’re offering a pretty solid discount on the Nexus for new customers looking to ink a Verizon contract – the device itself will set you back $199. Upgraders will need to shell out an extra $50, but the addition of free two-day shipping should offset the pain a bit. The Nexii are currently backordered, but with any luck that’ll clear up soon.

Let’s Talk: If you’re willing to head off the beaten path, these guys have the Galaxy Nexus for $229 with a new contract and $249 with an upgrade. However, Vlad at The Verge points out that there’s an additional $75 coupon code that can be thrown into the mix, bringing prices down to $154 and $174, respectively. The code (which is “$75VZN” by the way) combined with free overnight shipping makes this the deal to beat.

Once you’ve nabbed your Nexus (and hopefully saved a little money in the process) you can finally play with Ice Cream Sandwich proper — and by that, I mean sing Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” with attractive women.

View full post on TechCrunch » Mobile

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08Dec

Chartboost Expands Its Direct Deals Marketplace To Android

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Chartboost, the newly launched (already profitable) direct deals marketplace for mobile game developers is today announcing its expansion to Android. The company provides free ad-serving technology for direct deals and cross-promotions via its Chartboost SDK, allowing publishers to retain 100% of the revenue share on their direct deals. Meanwhile, the company’s opt-in ad network offers revenue sharing with publishers to help fill unsold inventory.

The expansion to Android was based on strong demand from Chartboost’s current game publisher clients, a list that includes big names like Tinyco, Pocket Gems, Storm8, Funzio, Dinsey Mobile, Gameview, Crowdstar and Animoca. Chartboost is also now adding a few more top brands to its customer base, including Booyah, Funzio and Out Fit 7.

According to CEO Maria Alegre, there are now 200 publishers using the service with around 400 or so apps.

In Chartboost, the focus is not on banner advertising, but on customizable, white-labeled full-screen interstitials that are used to suggest new games to the app’s users. The ads perform better than banners because they’re not necessarily perceived as ads, but as game recommendations. The CTR’s for these interstitials are, on average, around 12%, says Alegre, and she expects that to remain the same as Chartboost heads to Android. However, she notes that iOS ads can often see CTR’s in the range of 15%-16%.

Chartboost closed $2 million in Series A funding in October, with Translink Capital, SKTVC and XG Ventures. The company’s focus going into 2012 is on international expansion, especially Asia.

Chartboost for Android was previously available in a closed beta only, but is now available for any developer to use. Sign up is here.