San Francisco-based UrbanSitter, an online service which uses Facebook to connect parents with babysitters, has raised $1.75M in a funding round, according to a regulatory filing from the firm this week. The filing indicates thirteen investors participated in the funding. The funding included First Round Capital, Rustic Canyon Partners, Menlo Ventures and angels, according to reports from AllThingsD. UrbanSitter's service allows parents to search for, book, and review babysitters via Facebook....Continue →

Mountain View-based <>Facebook is getting set to file for its IPO, according to reports, in what could be one of the biggest IPOs this year. No details of the IPO have been filed yet, but the WSJ reports Morgan Stanley is the lead underwriter on the dealContinue →

San Francisco-based HydroNovation, which develops water purification and conditioning systems aimed at both the residential and food service markets, has scored an investment from 3M New ventures. 3M New Ventures announced the deal on Thursday, but did not disclose any financing terms. Clean Pacific Ventures also participated in the funding....Continue →

San Francisco-based signature Labs, a developer of mobile shopping applications, said Thursday that it has launched its services, after raising $1.1M in a seed funding round. The round came from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Amicus Capital, Triangle Peak Partners, Don Hutchison, and Dave Pell. Signature develops a personal shopping assistant application for mobile devices, focused around connecting people with their favorite brands, sales associates, and retailers....Continue →

Mountain View-based 955 Dreams, a mobile publishing and application developer, has raised $3.25M in a funding round. The round came from 500 Startups and CrunchFund, along with m8 Capital, Kapor Capital, and Felicis Ventures. 955 Dreams publishes iPad apps such as The History of Jazz, On The Way to Woodstock, and Band Of The Day. 955 Dreams is headed by Kiran Bellubbi.Continue →

Mountain View-based Google has updated its Google Earth product, pulling the mapping program into the age of Google+. According to Google, the latest release of the software, Google Earth 6.2, allows users to share images from within Google Earth to family and friends on Google+; the release also includes better smoothing algorithms to accomodate for different satellite and aerial photograph ages and quality, and autocomplete on searches.Continue →

Mountain View-based Adara Media, which provides e-commerce marketing campaigns for the travel and hospitality market, said this week that it has raised $12.4M in a funding round. The round was led by August Capital, and also included ONSET Ventures, Morgenthaler Ventures, and Baseline Ventures. Adara, which is headed by Laton Han, helps brand advertisers reach frequent flyers, business and international travelers via online media.Continue →

Santa Clara-based Intel has just amassed a large number of patents from streaming video firm RealNetworks, as the two said today that they have signed an agreement where RealNetworks will sell a chunk of patents and its next generation video codec to Intel. RealNetworks said the deal is worth $120M, and transfers approximately 190 patents and 170 patent applications to Intel. RealNetworks will retain the right to use certain patents in its current and future products....Continue →

Palo Alto-based ModeWalk, an online shopping site focused on luxury retail products, said Tuesday that it has raised $1.8M in a funding round. The round was led by Merus Capital, as well as a number of angel investors. ModeWalk offers a highly graphical, city-themed environment to browse products from luxury brands, which the firms said can "curate" their own identity on the site. The firm was founded by Beatrice Pang and Henri Deshays.Continue →

San Francisco-based Tynt Multimedia, a developer of software used to analyze the social habits of web visitors, has been acuqired by 33Across. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. 33Across said that it has acquired all of Tynt's assets, including its technology, patents and filings, analytics, and toolsets. 33Across also said it has added all of Tynt's employees and executives to the company. 33Across is based in New York.Continue →

San Francisco-based SquareTrade, a provider of warranties for consumer electronics and computer products, has scored $238M in an investment round. The round came from private equity firm Bain Capital. SquareTrade allows users to buy warranties for their products online, instead of using costly warranty programs from retailers.Continue →