Sony Gobbles Grouper for $65 Million

By Geoff Duncan August 23, 2006

You’d think they’d learn, but Big Media has opened its checkbook for a new-fangled Internet whatsit one more time. Sony Pictures Entertainment announced today that it has acquired online video-sharing site Grouper for $65 million. Grouper claims to be the second-largest user-generated video community on the Intenret—number one would be the broadband-busting YouTube—and offers the ability for users to share, edit, and organize video, plus ownload them to portable devices like iPods and PSP handheld deices.

Sony says the Grouper acquisition is a strategic move in line with Sony’s efforts to make Sony entertainment and content accessible to consumers across a wide variety of platforms and channels. Grouper’s management will stay intact at their current Sausalito, California location, and that the company has no immediate plans for changes to the Grouper site. Sony Pictures Entertainment’s chairman and CEO Michael Lynton also noted his studio is always interested in finding new ideas and talent for movies, TV shows, and games: “A site like Grouper allows people to showcase their creativity to a vast audience. It’s like a virtual, global audition, and a great source of entertainment.”

“When you pair Grouper’s innovative video sharing platform on the web and the desktop with Sony’s connected devices and copyrighted media you create a dynamic and exciting environment for consumers,” said Grouper CEO and co-founder Josh Felser. “We have an opportunity, as part of the Sony family, to bring together user-generated and copyrighted content across platforms and devices for the first time.”

[Answer: One of of the possible synergies between Sony and Grouper. Question: What are Alex Trebecks’ behind-the-scenes-at-Jeopardy cell phone movies?]

Editors' Recommendations

Sony’s first wireless speakers to support 360 Reality Audio start at $300

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Smart Home

The 5 best office chairs for long hours in 2024

The Verve in an office.

When you spend half (or more) of your day in an office chair, a $50 budget-buy store brand isn’t the kind of purchase you should be making. Not only are these cheap items more likely to break down over time, but there’s a good chance this kind of chair isn’t going to have the elevated support features your body needs. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the five best office chairs for long hours in 2024.

Each of these models are tailor-made for those of us who need a comfortable chair that feels good all day. We’ve also made sure to include a couple of options for folks who experience back pain, shoulder strain, and other sore conditions.

Smart Home

Matter gains support for kitchen appliances, adds new energy-tracking features

Matter received its big 1.2 update in late 2023, and now the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) is ready to officially roll out Matter 1.3. The latest version of the interoperability standard is now available for use, offering added support for appliances like microwave ovens and lclothes dryers, while also introducing new features for water and energy management.

The full list of new device types supported by Matter 1.3 include microwave ovens, ovens, cooktops, extractor hoods (such as vent hoods), and laundry dryers. These aren't quite as exciting or mainstream as the nine device types introduced with Matter 1.2, but it's great to see the CSA continuing to broaden the reach of the Matter network.

Smart Home

Best Ring deals: Save on Ring doorbell and Ring alarm bundles

Ring Video Doorbell 3

Ring is probably one of the most well-known brands and one of the best video doorbell brands on the market, so it would make sense if you want to get yourself a Ring camera, especially if you're in the Amazon ecosystem. Luckily, there are a lot of options out there, whether you want a doorbell or a floodlight, and while not all of them have deals, you can always find something refurbished or in a bundle that should save you a bit of cash. That's why we've gone out and collected the best deals we could find for various Ring product and collected them below.
Ring Stick Up Cam Battery (refurbished) -- $58, was $90

The Ring Stick Up is a good security camera for indoors or outdoors. It can go almost anywhere, and allows you to hear and speak to people on camera from your phone or tablet. You can customize the motion sensors to focus on specific areas of your home, and it has a Live View that allows you to watch over your home in 1080p Full HD resolution at any time. It even works with Alexa, allowing you to hear audio announcements when motion is detected. The Ring Stick Up sets up in minutes and it charges easily with a removable battery pack. This is a great option if you’re looking for something capable but versatile.