Browser App Provider Cooliris Raises $15 Million Second Round
Web navigator tool company Cooliris has raised $15 million in a second-round funding. Returning backer Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers was joined by DAG Ventures, The Westly Group and the T-Mobile Venture Fund. The Palo Alto, Calif., company has timed the announcement to the unveiling of a new browser app, the Cooliris Wall, which lets users scan content from a variety of social-media sites simultaneously, including Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. The company says the app gives users the feel of looking at a dozen TV screens as they decide which site to go to. Cooliris claims that users download 50,000 of its apps daily. The company raised about $3 million back in 2007. Release
Why? Do we really need a seperate visual browser? The idea that I'd use this as a primary interface to the web, or that I'd use this as a directory to other images or topics just doesn't resonate as a user. The 3D wall is cool looking but even though it's intersting for 5 seconds, I can't imagine using it for 5 minutes – or regularly. In fact the little arrow thing that launches CoolIris from any photo my browser sees is somewhat of a distraction – you just need to close it and go back to the browser. Interesting they raised such a large $ amount from tier one VC. Again, would be nice to know why…not just that they did. Congrats to CoolIris none the less…
Tough time to raise that kind of money… hats off to them.