Look, Wirefly: I’m going to be candid here. If your goal is to make friends with the blogging world so that everyone will share these videos you’ve taken to making lately, unboxing every handset that comes through your stock room weeks before release isn’t the way to do it. When you start doing these videos, you’ve entered into a different realm — one where we battle to convince reps to send us handsets early, live as close to shipping hubs as possible, wake up at the crack of dawn to meet the UPS guy at his truck, then blast out videos at a breakneck pace in hopes of being the first to get one online. When you’re shooting videos with handsets you’ve got early because you’re supposed to sell them, you’re cheating. With that said, here’s Wirefly’s unboxing of the Kyocera Echo. It’ll likely be the last of their unboxings we post. → Read More
The HTC Flyer tablet debuted at MWC 2011 last month. It’s arguably “just another tablet” a tablet version of HTC Sense running on top of Android 2.2. No matter, the tablet is already on European shelves leaving stateside buyers feeling the regional release shaft. But there’s an option if you simply must own HTC’s first-gen tablet. Just a warning though, owning the European-spec Flyer in the US comes at a price — a high price. → Read More
Palm’s HP’s shiny new tablet, the TouchPad, still doesn’t have an official launch date — but whenever it does come, it’s going to be the first device runnin’ webOS 3.0. Lookin’ to give third-party app developers a chance to get their goods prepped in time (and, unofficially, to give the webOS crowd a chance to play with webOS 3.0 in an emulator), HP has just released a Beta build of the webOS 3.0 SDK. There’s one catch, though: if you want access, you’ll need to be a part of Palm’s Early Access Developer program. Getting into that private club isn’t exactly like breaking into Fort Knox, but you’ll need to shoot an e-mail to Palm’s dev marketing team and convince them you’re up to snuff. Once you’re in, you’ll have access to just about everything you need to get building. → Read More
With the hoopla over the Nintendo 3DS dying down and the hard reality of the thing clear, it’s time to take stock and assess if the 3DS is right for you and/or your family. First off, I’ll say I’m a fan. It’s a wildly fascinating device and the 3D effects are amazing – when done correctly. I believe the 3DS has legs and will maintain sales at a steady clip over the next few years and I also think Nintendo has set a new level of interactivity and creativity in the creation of this new handheld. This isn’t just an upgraded DS, it’s a new handheld console. Let’s go through a few reasons why the 3DS is worth picking up – and a few caveats before you buy. → Read More
European video game retailer, GAME, has been handing out memos asking their employees to engage in some questionable business practices. The instructions told employees to take money out of the register and buy Nintendo 3DS consoles from the nearest Tesco supermarket — which happens to sell the 3DS at a loss for $55 less. → Read More
Wolfram Research, the parent company behind computational search engine Wolfram Alpha, is acquiring MathCore Engineering AB, the developer of the MathModelica modeling and simulation software system. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
MathModelica is a software system for multi-engineering modeling and simulation based on Modelica and Mathematica. MathModelica allows users to develop advanced multi-engineering models in a simple drag and drop interface and includes a large number of built-in base models for engineering domains, including electrical, mechanical, and thermal, as well as for areas like biochemical modeling. The resulting models can be directly simulated and visualized. MathCore’s software is used by companies such as Rolls-Royce, Siemens and Scania. → Read More
Back when the Kin kicked the bucket almost immediately after it launched, we were pretty bummed. Not because either of the Kin-branded phones were particularly good, mind you — but because there was just one feature that we really, really wanted to see succeed: Kin Studio. For those who didn’t pay attention to the Kin (don’t worry, you’re not alone. Obviously.) Kin Studio was a constantly synced, browser-based cloud service that stored backups of all of your videos, pictures, and text messages. Need a photo off your handset, but can’t find the cable? Don’t feel like going all the way across the room to grab your phone to view that video you recorded last night? Just pop into Kin Studio, plug in your credentials, and it’ll all be their waiting. Alas: when the Kin died, so did Kin Studio. But according to the ol’ Rumor Mill, Microsoft might just be bringin’ it back for Windows Phone 7. → Read More
Hey Erick, I have a question for Jack Dorsey. What’s up with Twitter?
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, Twitter is down (for some users), so in true TechCrunch tradition we need to celebrate the downtime with a post. Sorry, did we say downtime? → Read More
White-label mobile app platform Appia (formerly PocketGear), is announcing that it has secured $10 million in new funding from Venrock. According to sources familiar with the matter, the startup was valued at $100 million in the round. This latest investment brings Appia’s total funding to $30 million. Dev Khare, Vice President at Venrock, has joined the company’s board of directors.
Until February, PocketGear wss an independent marketplace that billed itself as the “World’s Largest Mobile App Store which sold apps for Blackberry, Android, Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian, and Java phones. The company rebranded and shifted focus as Appia, powering a white-label content and commerce platform for everyone and anyone who needs an app store. The company now powers mobile app storefronts for more than 40 partners, including four of the world’s top five handset manufacturers (Samsung, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon Wireless). → Read More
Not a fan of infographics? Be gone!
For I felt compelled to share with you this infographic made by the folks over at Webhostingbuzz, visually showing how fast the Internet has made its way to the people of this world in the past 15 years – and how fast the Internet has become in some parts of it.
Here’s what stood out for me: the United States leads the world in broadband penetration, with Americans consuming way more gigabytes per month than Europeans or people in Japan and South Korea. → Read More
Photo-sharing site Flickr, which has limitless potential in terms of the sheer number of photos stored on the service (over 5 billion at last count), has made it easier for users to share their photos today with new Twitter and Facebook “Share This” features. A share interface re-vamp comes along with the new features.
While previously you could only share photostreams, groups, and sets from Flickr by sending an email, manually grabbing the link/code or on Blogger, users now have the option to post individual photos and everything else on Facebook and Twitter as well as on Tumblr via “Share This” drop down menu in the upper left. → Read More
Sony Alpha Spot from ChezEddy on Vimeo. Oh I get it! That’s not a floating enema bulb but rather a real life representation of a Google Maps marker because the commercial is for an upcoming Sony Alpha camera with built-in GPS. Clever. [via Fubiz] → Read More
Jack Dorsey is in demand these days. The inventor of Twitter is now back as head of product, while still acting as CEO of his other startup, Square. Tonight, Dorsey and I will guest lecture together at Rachel Sterne’s Columbia Business School course on Social Media And Entrepreneurship. Sterne is also New York City’s chief digital officer, so it should be a social media extravaganza. We’ll be streaming the talk right here on TechCrunch starting around 6PM ET tonight.
It’s really more of an interview, with questions from the students and the audience at large. If you have a question for Dorsey, leave one in comments below or Tweet them at me during the event @erickschonfeld. I’ll be asking Dorsey about his new role at Twitter, where the product needs to go from here, how he will balance that with his role at Square, and how he thinks about designing social products in general. The theme of the lecture is “Social Disruption.” Both Twitter and Square are disruptive startups in the media/communications and payments industries, respectively. We’ll get into how each company disrupts the current order of things and creates new value in the process. → Read More
Skype users with any sense of aesthetic justice are pretty much in unanimous agreement that the user interface for Skype 5 for Mac is a disaster. Between the useless coverflow way of scrolling through Contacts, the using of “recently talked to” instead of “online” as a hierarchy for listing Contacts and the irrational hogging of onscreen real estate in the most recent update, I’ve now began to shudder every time I see the message “There is a new version of Skype available.”
I am not alone in thinking that the ability to video chat with multiple people isn’t worth the rest of Skype 5 for Mac’s UI hassles. Software Engineer Lucas Matis just wrote a nearly 2,000 word missive on how the new Skype is too confusing for the casual user, and not complex enough for someone more advanced (And why can you no longer send links while in video chat mode?). → Read More
Back in early December of last year, we first reported that Google was toying around with the name “+1″ for an upcoming social product. At the time, we were told it was sort of like Google’s version of the “like” or “retweet” button. Today it officially launches as a way to share Google Search results that you like with your friends and the broader web in general. Oh, and also a way to inject social into Google Ads.
To be clear, the version of +1 which is beginning to roll out today is not the toolbar version that we first got a glimpse of in December, that’s apparently a different version that was being tested. This version of +1 actually launching is a small button that will reside next to each and every Google Search result. If you like the result, you click the +1 button and it gets shared with your social circle — and the public (more on that in a bit). → Read More
During CES, Samsung said the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab (P1010) would come out Q1 of this year. Well, Q1 is almost over and we haven’t heard, nor seen anything about a price or shipping date. Those across the pond have recently found the P1010 up for pre-order on Amazon UK with an estimated ship date of March 31 and price of $477.
What about the US? → Read More
The Blu-ray edition of Star Wars: The Complete Saga now has a release date: September 16 of this year. Amazon lists the collection for $90, so start saving your pennies. → Read More
TechCrunch Disrupt is back and in a big way. The conference we launched last year in New York and San Francisco and is coming back this year and this time we are going global by adding another destination – Beijing. All three conferences will be packed with the best new startups, all-star speakers, free WiFi, and after parties. The first Disrupt will take place in New York City on May 23rd to 25th, right after our Hackathon on May 21st to 22nd where developers come together to create a product in 24 hours.
Like we’ve said before, anything can happen at these events. During Disrupt last year, we launched two dozen startups (the winner was international startup, Soluto), Charlie Rose kicked off the event by interviewing legendary VC John Doerr, Carol Bartz told Michael Arrington to *ahem*, and we even had a real company emerge from our Hackathon, GroupMe, which later went on to raise $10.6 million. You can read about co-founder Jared Hecht’s experience at Disrupt here.
If you are building a company or a product that you feel is going to make a huge impact and change the world, we want you to apply. There are no fees to apply or compete, and startups from around the globe are welcome to submit their company or product for consideration. But the deadline for submissions is looming. We will be accepting submissions through Sunday, April 3, 2011 at midnight PST. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please submit your application HERE on our Disrupt application site powered by Producteev. → Read More
Top Gear fans? Remember the episode from a few years back where the crew tried to flog the Tesla Roadster? Yeah, it didn’t end so well for the Tesla after Clarkson started off praising the little electric supercar. The entire segment is embedded for your viewing enjoyment after the jump, but the skinny is that the Top Gear testers sort of died prematurely — a few times. The first car’s battery’s ran out only after 55 miles. Then another car’s motor overheated. When they went back to the original car, something was up with the brakes. So yeah, one of the most watched TV programs in the entire world didn’t exactly portray the Tesla Roadster favorably. Enter the libel lawsuit. → Read More
Crysis 2 and Total War: Shogun 2 have come and gone, so that leaves only a few big PC releases left this year. What you see here is the latest Battlefield 3 trailer, “Get That Wire Cut.” → Read More
