Vevo Tops Facebook, A Pre-Paid Smartphone, Roomba Tech Sweeps For Bombs, And More…

Internet Advertising up 15%

Consistent growth in ad revenue for five consecutive quarters is a good sign the hardest part of the recession is coming to an end for the online content industry. “We are probably out of the woods when it comes to the impact of the great recession,” said Sherrill Mane, the SVP of industry services at the International Advertising Bureau. [Update: 1:15]

Research Giants Team up to Tackle Traffic

A new app will alert users to traffic-congesting events, and is a collaborative development with IBM, CalTrans, and UC Berkeley. [Update: 1:15]

Vevo Tops Facebook in Video Viewership

New Nielson numbers show Vevo narrowly beating out Facebook for the No. 2 spot for online video with 33 million monthly viewers (Youtube is the uncontested king at 111 million). Vevo’s numbers demonstrate a strong market for music videos.

AT&T Debuts First Pre-Paid Smartphone

The Android-powered LG Thrive will retail at $179.99 with a 10-cent-per-minute plan, $2 per day unlimited talk, and a tiered data pricing plan, $5 for 10 MB, $15 for 10 MB, and $25 for 500 MB.

Roomba Makers Score Huge Bomb Disposal Deal

iRobot (above), makers of way more than robo-maids, inked a deal with the Navy that could be worth up to $230 million for tiny robots that ID and dispose of bombs.

Craigslist Founder Launches New Service for Local Do-gooders

Craig Newmark launches Likeminded, a platform to share stories, multimedia, and connect with other citizens to make a local impact.

Picture of the Day: Zynga CEO and his Best Friends

Sources: The New York Times, Cnet, Nielson, Mashable, Engadget, San Francisco Chronicle

[Top Image: Flickr User U.S. Army Alaska]