Internet : Innovation + Job News

It took a year, but Charm City Concierge, a Baltimore-based corporate concierge service, launched its new virtual concierge website. The Concierge Dashboard software application is a nationwide first in the concierge industry.

The membership-only website enables clients to create a personalized desktop that acts as a virtual community available at the touch of a button. The site offers Charm City Concierge clients 24/7 access to shop online for products and services. The website's unique interface provides one-stop shopping for anything a client might need.

Forget scouring the Web for hours looking for just the right item or present, clients instead are able to chose from a variety of products and gifts meticulously chosen by Charm City staffers who have already done the virtual leg work.

In addition, the customizable desktop features news, weather, traffic and can also link to individual Facebook and Twitter pages.

"As our company has evolved, the need for this virtual concierge website became inevitable. It fills the needs of our clients on all levels nd allows us another step up on our competitors. Having our new technology in place leaves us poised for growth as the economy bounces back," says Tina Urquhart, president, Charm City Concierge.

Writer: Walaika Haskins
Source: Tina Urquhart, Charm City Concierge

First, Cricket Communications brought its pay-as-you-go, no credit check wireless cell phone service to Baltimore, now the company hopes to bridge the digital divide and add affordable broadband service as well with the help of the Feds.

The mobile service provider filed a grant application on Monday for federal Recovery funding in parternship with One Economy Corporation. The proposal would extend Project Change access, a program to bring affordable wireless broadband service to low-income residents in five cities, to an additional 23,000 families in Baltimore, Houston, San Diego and Washington, D.C.

Launched in Portland in 2008, the pilot program created by LCW Wireless, Cricket's parent company, provides the families with sustainable, innovative broadband access and digital literacy training. The project provides subsidized, low-cost wireless broadband over Cricket's high-quality, all-digital 3G wireless network and a wireless device that can be used with desktops and laptops.

"As we have seen in the results of the Portland pilot of Project Change Access, universal broadband is the key to economic revitalization in low-income communities that need growth in businesses and jobs the most," said Dave Maquera, vice president, strategy at Leap. "Cricket remains committed to bringing the benefits of wireless and mobile broadband to everyone, including low-income families who deserve the benefits of digital innovation that online access brings."

Writer: Walaika Haskins
Source: Dave Maquera, LCW

Kalypso Media Group, a German-based game publisher continues its global expansion, choosing Baltimore as the site of its U.S. headquarters, beating out Los Angeles, New York and Silicon Valley. The deciding factor was the high concentration of video game companies in the area, including Firaxis Games, BreakAway and Big Huge Games. The Baltimore office boasts a minimal staff of about five.

With its new digs located in Roland Park, the company named Deborah Tillett president. Former president of BreakAway Games, Tillett is responsible for developing and implementing Kalypso's strategic and creative vision in North America. Kalypso is perhaps known best for its "Tropico" series now on its third installment.

The company is seeking game developers who have created PC or mobile phone games in any genre of entertainment software. The company is particularly interested in strategy, adventure, action and simulation games. Kalypso offers developers marketing on a global scale in retail stores and via online platform. Interested game designers should contact the company at [email protected].

In other gaming news, Zynga, a San Francisco developer of games for social networking sites including Facebook and MySpace, plans to hire 12 to 15 game designers, web developers, artists and producers by the end of the year. The company has chosen Baltimore as the location for its new East Coast office. Helmed by Brian Reynolds, a former exec with Firaxis Games and Big Hug Games, anticipates that the office will locate in Timonium.

Writer: Walaika Haskins
Source: Kalypso Media Group

A Baltimore-based technology firm is making money keeping computer systems secure. Sourcefire announced a 38 percent increase in revenues for the second quarter of 2009 -- topping $22.2 million for the quarter compared to $16 million for the same period in 2008. Revenues for the first six months of 2009 reached $40.8 million, an $11.1 million increase compared with the same period last year when revenues were $29.7 million.

This is big news and the best kind of news for Sourcefire. Since it went public in 2007, despite a reputation as one of the most innovative companies in the cybersecurity industry, Sourcefire had failed to turn a profit.

The improvement in financials comes one year after John Burris, a former Citrix exec, took the reigns as CEO.

"When I joined Sourcefire a year ago, we said we would grow revenue, control expenses, leverage our channel relationships, and achieve full year profitability on an adjusted basis. I am very excited by the progress that Sourcefire has made and confident in our ability to continue to execute against these objectives," Burris says.

Under his leadership, Sourcefire continues to grow and deliver new and innovative security solutions. Most recently, the company announced a virtual appliance for protecting leading VMware-based systems, a first in the industry.

Writer: Walaika Haskins
Source: John Burris, Sourcefire