Roundup: Opera Mobile picks Google for search, ‘Quarterlife’ flops, Zoho updates and more

Here’s the latest action:
1) Opera’s mobile web browser picks Google for search
2) Web-bourne show ‘Quarterlife’ bombs on NBC
3) Zoho updates it’s online writer
4) Microsoft’s WorldWide Telescope is revealed
5) Panther Express, a NY start-up gets funding
6) AngryJournalist.com allows writers to vent
7) Drama amid the DivX shutdown of Stage 6

Opera’s mobile web browser picks Google for search - Starting next month, Opera’s mobile browser will begin using Google as its default search engine. Opera’s mobile variety is very popular (it works on both Symbian and Windows Mobile) and this is not good news for Yahoo, which is still trying to convince everyone - including their shareholders that they can soldier ahead without being taken over by Microsoft. ReadWriteWeb wonders how much money Google is sending Opera’s way to make this deal happen.

Web-borne show ‘Quarterlife’ bombs on NBC - The popular web-based shows that was purchased by NBC, made its debut last night and flopped. It drew just 3.1 million viewers, which was less than half of its competition on both CBS and ABC. Silicon Alley Insider has more on the bad news for the show.

Zoho updates it’s online writer - The web-based word processor Zoho now supports Docx (the new Word file format), has a thesaurus, allows for emailing to groups and has enhanced support for endnotes/footnotes, headers/footers. Zoho has over 600,000 users but trails Google Docs, and of course Microsoft Word in usage. TechCrunch has more.

Microsoft’s WorldWide Telescope is revealed - Well, now we know why blogger Robert Scoble was crying after he left a presentation at Microsoft’s labs a few weeks ago (our coverage). Microsoft Research officially announced their WorldWide Telescope software today. It is software that brings together images from some of the biggest telescopes on the Earth and in space to create an expansive visual map of the Universe. According to Scoble the software is currently in the private alpha stage, it’s set to launch in Spring 2008.

Panther Express, a NY start-up gets funding - From the PE wire: “Panther Express Inc., the content delivery network founded by the former chief executive and chief technical officer of DoubleClick Inc., has landed a $15.75 million Series B round of funding. Index Ventures led the round with participation from Gold Hill Capital and previous investor Greylock Partners. Index Partner Ben Holmes will join the board of directors. Panther Express previously raised $6 million.”

AngryJournalist.com allows writers to vent - From the site: “Tell us what’s making you upset at your journalism job. Anonymity guaranteed. One rule: no real names.”

Drama amid the DivX shutdown of Stage6 - Everything seemed set for DivX to spin-off Stage6 last year and get it a $27 million round of funding in the process. However when it came time to vote in November, the DivX board nixed the deal. A massive battle of egos killed the deal according to Mike Arrington. Relationships within the company badly strained, DivX simply decided to shut down Stage6, throwing out millions of dollars in revenue in the process. Naturally, investors are not happy.