Getting featured in the New York Times is always a joy.  This morning, we had the pleasure of seeing our client FreedomPop featured in this massive story on free wifi options:  Keeping Wi-Fi Always Within Range.

Last week, I participated in my first ever Boston Marathon.  I was thrilled to toe the line, even though I was sporting a cranky shin splint and a wicked cold.  Just as I arrived into my starting corral, the gun went off and I began my 26.2 mile quest.  As it turned out, it wasn’t my day for running and stomach issues quickly took hold, followed by cramps and more.  My pace went from a nice 8 minute mile, to 8:15, then 8:30… Once I slipped into 9 minute pace I knew my dreams of hitting a PR (personal record were over).  I wanted to quit at mile 8.  Not good when you’re already battling your inner demons before the half-way mark.  But I decided I had to go on.  I had signed up for the Boston to Big Sur Challenge which meant that I had to complete two marathons, on two coasts, in two weeks, otherwise, I wouldn’t earn my prize – a special finishers medal and jacket.  Only 400 people are accepted into the challenge (by contrast, there are over 25,000 Boston marathon runners and 2,500 Big Sur marathon runners) so I was part of a select few and I wasn’t going to give that up.

Due to my cramps and illness, I was able to interact with the crowds more than I usually do.  They would wave support, encourage me, yell my name, whatever they could to keep us runners going.  Around mile 22, I had severe thigh cramps and had to pull over to stretch it out.  I grabbed onto the fence the separates runners from spectators for balance.  Immediately, spectators rushed over to see if I was okay.  When I finally hobbled away, a kid stuck his hand out for a high-five.  Then another.  Next thing I know, there are about 15 outstretched hands in front of me, all giving me energy.  Gives me chills just thinking about it again now.

I have never experienced support like that given in Boston.  It was one of the most incredible experiences in my life.  Which makes it even more shocking and heartbreaking that anyone could ever think of harming these selfless individuals who come out to cheer on strangers, treating mortal runners like we’re special for that moment in time.

I will never forget that sinking feeling when the first bomb went off and the dread when the second went off.  I will never forget the concerned look on the policemen’s faces as they gathered together before they stopped us from proceeding any further.  I was just about to enter Boylston Street, around the corner from the second bomb.  I was quickly redirected so I did not witness the aftermath of the explosions.  I am so sad and sorry for all those who were injured, both physically and emotionally.  And I am especially saddened by the family who have lost their loved ones.

Runners are a hearty lot who face aches and pains frequently and, as Ann Killion of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, the bombers “messed with the wrong demographic.”

Runner Strong.  Boston Strong.

Related articles:

Endurance runners know how to face fears (San Francisco Chronicle)

Marin residents in the middle of Boston Marathon bombing (Marin Independent Journal)

If you’re in San Francisco for the Games Developer Conference, you’ve probably seen King’s new branding in the JCDecaux kiosks and have seen the King candy mascots handing out Candy Crush Saga branded candy around the Moscone Center.  You probably have noticed King in the press lately too.

Last October, we threw a party at Bluxome Winery in San Francisco to celebrate the upcoming launch of Candy Crush Saga on mobile.  By November, the game was available on iOS, followed by Android a few days later.  Four months later, Candy Crush Saga is the Top Grossing App on iTunes.  Not only that, it is also the #1 app on Facebook – which means it’s not only the biggest game but it also is more popular than Spotify, Skype, etc.

King dropped the “dot.com” from their name as they are now a multi-platform company, not solely reliant on the web for usage.  Indeed, they now have more than 108 million monthly players on all platforms – desktop and mobile – and 50 million daily players.  With this growth, they are closing the gap on Zynga and people are noticing.

Check this sample of the huge amount of press they received:

• Crushing competition, Candy Crush creator crowns itself King(news.cnet.com)

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• Surprise: Europe’s King Now Has Nearly As Many Daily Users As Zynga(techcrunch.com)

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• King.com GDC Dominance A Potential Sign Of The Times(games.com)

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• King.com saw its Facebook desktop players for Candy Crush Saga blossom after mobile launch(venturebeat.com)

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• King.com Rebrands Itself as “King”(allthingsd.com)

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• King.com rebrands as King, launches 2 new Facebook games(insidesocialgames.com)

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• Candy Crush Saga: Played By Every Seventh Person In Hong Kong Daily(games.com)

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• Facebook’s Strategy: Growth In Desktop, Core, Mid-Core Games(allfacebook.com)

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• How King.com Zoomed Up The Social Gaming Charts(forbes.com)

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• GDC 13: Candy Crush Saga firm King rebrands as mobile audience booms(develop-online.net)

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Every day we’re seeing more broadcast news stations covering the ways consumers save money using FreedomPop while on the road, at work, or at home.  Check out a snapshot of just some of the segments here…

This Wednesday, FreedomPop announced public availability of their new home broadband “Burst” router – marking the company’s official entry into the DSL and cable market.

FreedomPop began accepting pre-orders for the device in mid-December, and quickly sold out within hours – validating consumer enthusiasm for a free home broadband solution. The device provides 1GB of free data each month and speeds faster than typical DSL, plus no contracts or installation fees.  Sounds like a sweet deal to me!

Here’s a sample of what the press thought about it:

• FreedomPop’s Home Broadband Service Goes Live(businessweek.com)

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• FreedomPop Brings Free Broadband To Homes With New Device(forbes.com)

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• Will FreedomPop Disrupt U.S. Broadband With Free Internet?(fastcompany.com)

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• FreedomPop’s Hub Burst home router now available(venturebeat.com)

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• FreedomPop’s home broadband service goes live. Can you survive on 1 GB a month?(gigaom.com)

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• FreedomPop tests freemium WiMAX in the living room with Hub Burst home modem(theverge.com)

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• After Focusing Mainly On Mobile, FreedomPop Is Now Bringing Freemium WiMAX Internet To Your Home(techcrunch.com)

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• FreedomPop’s New Router Hooks Up Your Home With Free, Wireless Broadband(gizmodo.com)

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• FreedomPop’s pseudo-free home WiMAX goes live(engadget.com)

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If you’re a sports enthusiast, you probably know that it’s pretty tough to get a hold of Final Four tickets without breaking the bank.  So imagine the chance at landing two tickets to the Final Four games in Atlanta – and two tickets to the National Championship Game in the Georgia Dome – plus a VIP Fan Experience hospitality package including food, entertainment, a celebrity host, and more for $400.  That’s where the bidding will start for this priceless package – the only way to get it is to attend the Outbid Dick Vitale / V Foundation Charity Auction starting at 9:00am Pacific time, today.

There are plenty of other items in the auction as well including autographed basketballs, breakfast for two with Dick Vitale himself and more.  Check out the complete list of items and sign up to either watch or participate in the action in the auction here.

We just love this headline – congrats Riccardo and King.com!

Inside Social Games just published King.com’s latest infographic about the #1 game on Facebook, Candy Crush Saga.  You can read the full story, by Mike Thompson,  here:  King.com releases new Candy Crush Saga highlights

Related articles

• King.com releases new Candy Crush Saga highlights(insidesocialgames.com)

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• King.com overtakes Zynga for top spot on Facebook(slashgear.com)

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• European game makers finding success on Facebook(mercurynews.com)

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• King.com’s Candy Crush Saga beats Zynga with top social-mobile game(venturebeat.com)

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• How King.com crushed Zynga(tech.fortune.cnn.com)

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• Candy Crush Saga crushes Zynga, becomes top Facebook game by DAU(games.com)

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Always great to see one of the Consort family in the LA Times.