New technologies usually allow for more. In the move from print media to the Web the “more” was comments, slideshows and of course rapid-fire content. In the move from VHS to DVDs the “more” was all sorts of behind the scenes footage and director commentaries. In the move from Blackberries to iPhones, the “more” was a wonderland of new apps and a browser experience that didn’t make your eyes bleed.
In a world of eBook readers, more is starting to creep in, but it’s unclear whether this is a more that will actually sell books, or a more that only a handful of superfans care about. → Read More
The only thing better than a leak is six leaks, which is exactly what we have for you today. Bundled nicely in the form of a 2011 LG Roadmap (discovered by PocketNow), five Android smartphones and one Mango-powered handset have found their way to the web.
Along with the recently announced Optimus Pro and Optimus Net, LG has quite a bit more in store for the rest of the year. However, we don’t expect that this is the entirety of LG’s 2011 smartphone lineup, so if you can’t find something you like here, fret not, more are sure to follow. → Read More
We’ve already seen bikes from both Audi and McLaren in the last year, so I suppose it’s no surprise to see competition from Porsche. The German sport car giant has actually had a bike for quite a while now, but I believe the new Sport and Rennsport are their first attempts at road-going bikes rather than the mountain variety. → Read More
It’s been just 11 days since Apple released Beta 3 of iOS 5 to developers, but a new Beta is already up in the air — literally. iOS 5 Beta 4 has just gone live, and it appears to be the first update to support installation via iOS 5′s new over-the-air update system.
We can’t actually get the update to work over the air right now, but the patch notes specifically define it as an option: → Read More
One thing most 30-something people in tech have in common is video gaming nostalgia. Generation X (and Generation i) can go on for hours discussing the merits of our favorite Nintendo games, our programming experience in school, and of course our beloved Ataris. Sure there were C64s and Amigas and such, but Atari’s 2600 and its successors were truly groundbreaking in the gaming world.
You can still find a few here and there, working even, but to be honest the machine is a little more humble-looking than my memory has it. But Urchin Associates had the brilliant idea to preserve this piece of computing history forever… in 24-karat gold. → Read More
It was a first. Yesterday, we were fortunate to welcome Google’s two principle architects of Google+, Vic Gundotra (VP Social) and Bradley Horowitz (VP Product), to the TechcrunchTV studio in San Francisco for an extended interview about what they call their “project”.
So what is Google+? As Gundotra told me yesterday, it is an attempt to “understand people” and to make human relationships the heart of the Google experience. Both Horowitz and Gundotra acknowledge that this is a major project, something that may, in the future, redefine the company. This unGoogle-like goal to,as Horowitz said, put “people first”, may well, in the long run, transform Google from a algorithmic company to a social one. → Read More
Social networks for cancer patients and survivors are not new. There’s the KnowCancer Community and Planet Cancer for younger survivors, for instance. Now there is I Had Cancer, a new resource for cancer patients, survivors, and friends and family who are supporters. The site just launched in private beta. If you have cancer or know somebody who does, we have 250 invites that you can sign up for on the beta site using the code: C55484. (People can also sign up for the beta on the regular site and will be notified when that launches).
I Had Cancer was founded by a team out of Squeaky Wheel Media in New York City: Mailet Lopez, Robert Boyle (who also created local Q&A app Crowdbeacon), and Anthony Del Monte (president and founder of Sqweaky Wheel). Lopez is a survivor of breast cancer, and she started out wanting to create a blog for other cancer survivors called I Had Cancer. But that evolved into a full-fledged community support site where survivors and family members can share their cancer stories and help others who are going through the same experience. → Read More
Norwegian ‘tech evangelist’ Leon Håland of Altibox has created an awesome graph to show the amazing growth of Google+. It doesn’t really require much more explaining than this. However, it’s not an entirely fair comparison of course. We need to factor in the fact that Twitter and Facebook educated us all about social networking a little earlier, and Google+ is clearly reaping the rewards. In a big way. And let’s not forget the millions who already had Gmail accounts and therefore easy access to a Plus account. Still, it’s interesting when shown in the stark terms above… → Read More
Chinese search giant Baidu’s investment in Qunar officially closed this week, and the two teams are working on integrating Qunar’s search results into Baidu’s travel vertical now. I caught up with Qunar’s CEO Chenchao Zhuang for his first Western interview about the deal to talk about what the deal means for the company and China’s Web scene broadly.
This $306 million deal is not only a big one in dollar amount, but it could represent a seminal turning point in the Chinese Web. Until now, Chinese Web companies have had a strong bias towards going it alone. Much like earlier eras in Silicon Valley, success is considered to be an IPO not an acquisition. But there’s a lot of pressure on that to change, and most industry watchers feel it’s just a matter of time– and of course, price. → Read More
Let’s face it. While Uber is generally awesome and is on track to disrupt the taxi business, the service is still too expensive for many consumers to use on a regular basis. The company dropped its prices in June after San Francisco-based taxis went on strike, but this was temporary. Today, Uber revealed that it is testing reduced rates in its San Francisco market.
Comparing the test to the “golden ticket” from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Uber says that a random 600 users in San Francisco will be able to access reduced rates (anywhere from 10%, 20% or 30%). If you’re in the test, you’ll automatically receive the reduced rates when using Uber with your account. → Read More
It would appear Groupon.co.uk has been taken down, and a number of other international sites for the group-buying offers giant. It’s not clear as to why. But right now aggregator site Buyometric says they are taking “hundreds of enquiries” about the issue. We’re reaching out to Groupon for comment and will update this post when we get more information. → Read More
Huge news! The iPad is trumping Android tablets in the enterprise! Actually this is rather small news and could probably be assumed by just about anyone who knows what they’re talking about. Either way, the smarty arties at Good Technology kindly mapped out the stats sans assumption.
Tablets made up 27 percent of Good Technology’s mobile device activations (the network includes 49 of the Fortune 100 companies and 182 of the Fortune 500 companies), and of those activations, more than 95 percent were iPads. → Read More
My, how Y Combinator has grown. It wasn’t that long ago that the prestigious startup incubator had a dozen or so startups per batch. These days, class sizes are more like 60, and the alumni network is huge: in total, Y Combinator has invested in some 317 startups.
Given how many YC startups there are, it isn’t really surprising that a lot of them have some overlap, or are at least tackling similar problems. Today, YC is announcing an event that’s taking advantage of that fact: the Ad Innovation Conference.
The event, which takes place on September 14, will feature fifteen YC companies involved in building new ad-related technologies. Among the topics that will be covered: → Read More
While searching for music gadgets here at the Summer NAMM conference in Nashville TN, I was reminded of one of the bright stars that garnered “Best In Show” rating from the winter version of this bi-annual conference. While the MB 800 has been anticipated since its announcement last winter, I heard today that the item is planned to ship within the next 4-6 weeks, and possibly as early as August 15th.
What is the Gallien Krueger MB 800 you ask? It is 800 watts of bass amplification housed in a 4.9 pound case. Let me just say that again…800 watts in a 4.9 pound case. As someone with vivid memories of carrying fragile and heavy tube laden amp heads to-and-fro, I find this form factor impressive. And it sounds good too. I coaxed GK Sales Manager Jason Finley into playing it a bit, so I could capture a few sounds. → Read More
It’s Friday and not only do we have 8 Seattle Space Needle Facebook t-shirts to give away, but we have one Amazon Kindle to give away as well!
Earlier this month, you may have remembered hearing something about an “awesome” announcement Facebook made. Something having to do with Facebook/ Skype Video Calling? Well, Facebook promised to send Michael Arrington a couple Seattle t-shirts and now we want to give them away to our readers.
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After experimenting on 24 adults, a research team at the University of California, Berkeley has determined that viewing content on a stereo 3D display hurts your eyes and your brain. The scientific term is “vergence-accomodation,” which means that the eye must constantly adjust to both the distance of the physical screen and that of the 3D content.
This can supposedly cause visual discomfort, fatigue, and headaches, which I had thought were just a part of life but apparently there’s a scapegoat: 3D technology. → Read More
While I’m sure these are 100% safe, it’s a little odd to see this wee one sitting in a Belkinz cardboard high chair that folds flat and is completely disposable if/when junior goes lateral on the mashed potatoes.
The kit, made by an Australian firm, is available for purchase but it might be a little hard to find around these parts. It is good for kids who are up to 20 months of age and seems like a perfect solution toting to restaurants, grandma’s house, and other places you might not want to drag your entire high chair.
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Kyocera did what a clever cell phone manufacturer whose home market has the oldest society in the world (over 20% of the Japanese people are 65 or older) has to do: it manufactured a cell phone specifically designed for the elderly. While the basic concept isn’t new, the way the so-called Mi-Look [JP] works certainly is. → Read More
Any new US Spotify users will be busy creating playlists and sharing them with their friends. This is an awesome part of the service which is really the central point of why Spotify can become so addictive compared to other services like Mog and Rdio. A while back a clever little startup realised there was gold in them there lists and created a site to allow users share their lists outside of Spotify more easily.
ShareMyPlaylists has now secured £250,000 in angel funding, this time from Angel investor Mark Pearson, chairman of Markco Media Ltd / MyVoucherCodes. Pearson has also invested in UGC media site Blottr.
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Centuries from now, archeologists will come upon a cache of these Sprout biodegradable watches and find only their movements, the thin wafers of silicon corroded into each other like the Antikythera mechanism and surrounded by Big Gulp cups and Pringles cans, a testament to a brand’s dedication to eco-friendliness.
See, the cases, bands, faces, and bezels of these watches, which range from $30 to $75, are made of biodegradable products include bamboo, cotton, resin, and mineral crystals.
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