Short version: The uebo M200 is a fine enthusiast media streamer. It played back every file I tried from either a local or network source, works well with UPnP services like PlayOn, and even has a few built-in Internet services. The interface isn’t Boxee-awesome, but it’s more than enough to get the job done. I like it. → Read More
As every life form in the Milky Way knows, StarCraft II came out yesterday. I’ve heard stories—anecdotes, if you will—about people pulling out of World of Warcraft raids in order to play the game. → Read More
For some time now, Twitter has been working on a new API: the Twitter Streaming API. The idea behind it is to allow third-party Twitter clients to receive continuous tweet updates in realtime. As developer advocate Taylor Singletary notes today on the Twitter Development Talk Google Group, limited testing of this new feature (also called “User Streams”) for desktop clients has now begun.
Currently, TweetDeck and Echofon, two popular Twitter desktop clients, have access to the new API for testing. Singletary notes that not all users of these clients will see this new tech in action at first. Instead, there will be a more gradual roll-out with each app. Once that occurs, Twitter will start opening up the Streaming API to other clients as well. → Read More
Back in April, we announced that Los Angeles-based DIY mobile apps creation platform, Mobile Roadie, announced it was setting-up shop in Europe. But the company hasn’t just been focused on developing its European business and presence. In fact, today Mobile Roadie is also announcing the release of its pro platform. Yes, fancy mobile app creation just got that much easier.
So to break it down, Mobile Roadie now offers 3 versions of its platform for iPhone and Android app creation and management: Core, Plus and Pro. → Read More
This is a little quirk of mobile deal-making I wasn’t aware of. Gadgetwise noticed that on the AT&T Captivate (which I recently reviewed), launching the included MobiTV app while connected to a Wi-Fi network prompts you to disconnect, and then warns you in all caps “THIS PRODUCT WILL USE A LARGE AMOUNT OF DATA AND YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DATA CHARGES.” Sure, and usually that’s why they ask you to connect to your Wi-Fi: so it doesn’t burden the network and/or use up all your data (at which point you inevitably come crying to them). So why does this one tell you to shut it down? → Read More
We broke the news yesterday on Facebook’s most recent acquisition – social activity service Hot Potato. Like most of Facebook’s acquisitions, this deal looks to be mostly about getting a great team of engineers on board, not about the product.
And like many of these acquisitions, investors in the acquired company don’t stand to make much money. Facebook is paying around $10 million in cash for Hot Potato, we’ve heard from a source with knowledge of the deal. Employees will also be getting stock options which could prove to be very lucrative down the road. But investors aren’t getting any stock in Facebook. → Read More
eDreams, the Spanish online travel giant, has changed private equity hands once again. In a deal reportedly worth €250-300 million, the UK’s Permira has acquired a majority share in the site from its previous owner US private equity firm TA Associates.
TA paid €153 million for the company in 2006 from its original VC backers, which included Apax Partners, Atlas Venture, BSCH, Doll Capital Management (DCM), Net Partners and 3I. While Permira is said to be on the lookout for other, smaller online travel startups in Europe. → Read More
My dad has been hounding me to get him some gel pens so when I was in Japan two weeks ago I bought him three of them. I should have just hit up Jetpens. This odd little webstore features all sorts of Japanese gel pens along with accessories like notebooks, brush pens, and erasers. Domo arigato, Internet! → Read More
Knol, Google’s platform for sharing articles about specific topics, appears to have been shutdown. It’s unclear if this is a temporary or permanent situation. We’ve reached out to Google for comment.
We’ve long been speculating as to when Google will shut down Knol. The knowledge-sharing site has essentially been reduced to a “Craigslist wannabe.” The original idea behind Knol was that people could collaboratively write definitive articles about any topic they like and get rewarded by earning a share of the AdSense revenues for each page they author. Unfortunately, no one seems to be reading anything on Knol and the product never really panned out. → Read More
How do you guys feel about PC cases these days? Are you a fan of the over-the-top styling that so many of them feature, or would you like something a little more staid? I ask because NZXT has a new case called the Phantom. It’s not too crazy—there’s no spinning lights or any of that jazz—and it’s a full tower. That’s key in case you want to rock dual video cards or want to add a bunch of PCI cards. → Read More
Facebook’s worst-kept secret is finally ready for its closeup: the company is starting to roll out Facebook Questions, a Q&A service that allows users to poll all of Facebook. Facebook has been inviting users to apply to join a sneak peek of Questions for months now, so we’ve seen much of this before, but this marks the first time that it will begin rolling out to users who didn’t apply for the beta program. Facebook says that this is intiitally rolling out to 3-5 million users, with plans for a broader rollout down the line.
The motivations behind the launch are clear: millions of people already use Facebook status updates to poll their friends — it’s only natural that the site would offer a dedicated mechanism to do this (and it’s also likely to be a boon for page views, especially once Questions are syndicated to search engines). But if you were hoping the new product would incorporate Facebook’s extensive privacy settings, you’ll be disappointed: everything in Questions is shared with everyone else on Facebook, and every question you ask is tied to your real name; likewise, anyone who answers will have their response tied to their account. → Read More
Unless someone at Research In Motion is taking the time to screw with all of us, it looks like we might have an official name for their long-rumored BlackBerry tablet project: BlackPad.
Word of the name comes not from a disgruntled employee, nor from a prototype left at a bar; this one’s straight out of a good ol’ fashion WHOIS lookup on a domain. According to registration records, RIM purchased BlackPad.com just days ago. → Read More
GoodData is rapidly becoming a key example of the technology innovation emerging from Central Europe – and laying a bet on Europe seems to be paying off for Fidelity Growth Partners Europe, the venture and growth equity investor, which backs European entrepreneurs exclusively.
It’s invested $2 million in the startup, the second investment for the £100 million fund, leading an overall $6.5 million investment round. GoodData provides an on-demand business intelligence services. Other returning investors include General Catalyst, Andreessen Horowitz and Windcrest Partners. → Read More
European VC funding has bounced back. That’s according to Q2 figures produced by Dow Jones VentureSource which reports that investment is up by 50 percent compared to the record low of this time last year. €1.1 billion into 289 deals against 252 deals, which raised just €735 million.
But specifically, says Dow Jones, the Information Technology (IT) industry, which apparently accounted for much of the venture market’s losses during the economic downturn, was the “star performer” in the most recent quarter. IT saw a 69% increase in investment from the second quarter last year to €334 million, as well as a 13% increase in deal flow to 90 completed deals. For the first time in two years, the report notes, IT was Europe’s largest industry for venture investment, taking 31% of overall investment.
Here’s a few more interesting tidbits quoted from the report: → Read More
The friendly folks at VSP Vision Care sent along this quick video explaining how our increased use of computers and smartphones have affected our vision. Remember when you were growing up and you were told not to sit too close to the TV? How many of you now spend nearly every waking hour inches away from a computer monitor, or glued to your iPhone? Mm. → Read More
If we’re hearing any one thing from developers that is scaring’em away from Android, it’s that Android apps are just way, way too easy to pirate. Hell, you don’t even have to go through shady third party download sites; just buy an app, copy it to the sd card, and refund the application. Ta-da! (Read: Don’t do that.) Google’s been talking for some time about a new, considerably more secure system for protecting applications from pirates and dishonest refunders. Today, that system goes live. → Read More
Forget about checking-in to venues. Apparently, the new thing to do is to check-in to whatever you’re doing — like watching television shows, or reading a book. It’s something that Hot Potato offers, and they’re in the process of being acquired by Facebook. It’s what GetGlue offers as well, and they’re already seeing over 4.5 million ratings and check-ins a month now. And today, the service is announcing a new exclusive partnership with HBO.
Starting on August 1, when you use GetGlue to check-in watching one of HBO’s hit shows, you’ll earn exclusive stickers designed by HBO. If you’re aware of Foursquare badges or Gowalla pins, it’s the same idea, except based around content. The three shows HBO has selected for this promotion are True Blood, Hung, and Entourage — three of their hottest shows. → Read More
Short Version If Charlie the Unicorn has taught us anything it’s that the road to success is fraught with setbacks and, if you’re not careful, your best friends will cut out your kidneys. It is with these life-lessons in mind that we examine the Dell Streak, a 5-inch Android 1.6 tablet that shows much promise but is hobbled by Android OS fracturing. → Read More
Last May, Kanye West was pissed off. Why? Because people were impersonating him on Twitter. He was so mad that he even wrote a blog post about it — entirely in CAPS. It began, “(This spaz comes courtesy of losers making fake Kanye West Twitter accounts) I DON’T HAVE A FUCKING TWITTER… WHY WOULD I USE TWITTER???”
Well, apparently someone has convinced the hip hop star why he should use Twitter, because as of two hours ago he’s on the service and tweeting away. → Read More
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