500 Startups’ next batch of accelerator companies is launching now that its previous demo day has wrapped up, this time seemingly having a bit of a wider focus than we’re accustomed to seeing coming out of the firm. This batch, which contains 31 companies, focuses on a range of topics, like VR, healthcare, financial technology and even drones. Read More
“Alexa, how do you hide a body?” Vocal identification is a complicated thing. Alexa doesn’t identify individual users; all us humans are the same. And because Echo has no user identification process, this actually means that anyone within talking range can get access to Echo users’ sensitive emails, documents and other personal data. Read More
Google is making it easier for IT admins to deploy and manage its Chrome browser in their businesses. The new Chrome Enterprise Bundle gives admins a single installer for the Chrome browser, the Chrome Legacy Browser Support extension for running the occasional ActiveX widget and a number of administrative policy templates. With the launch of Chrome 58, Google’s browser now also… Read More
Microsoft CVP Yusuf Mehdi isn’t shy about mentioning the competition. As we discuss the company’s recent launch of Windows 10 S, he refers to the pared down operating system as a “Chromebook compete.” The company knows that Google is eating its lunch in K-12 here in the States, so it answered with its own version, and it’s not really making any bones about it.… Read More
After years of development and flickering just outside of mainstream consciousness and acceptance, record high prices for the most popular blockchain-based cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and newcomer Ethereum and an embrace of the technology’s core principles by some of the world’s largest institutions may mean that blockchain technology is ready for its close up. Read More
Desktop milling machines aren’t nearly as popular was FDM 3D printers but, it must be noted, they are far more versatile. The pieces that come out of a CNC – essentially a plotter that drags a fast-moving spindle over a material to cut out flat and raised shapes – are nearly finished and ready to use in many projects. Other Machine Co. founder Danielle Applestone PhD has… Read More
Google’s Jamboard is not a kitchen app for curating PB&J recipes – it’s a 55-inch digital whiteboard, with pen and touch input, companion iOS and Android apps, an Nvidia Jetson TX1 processor on board and 4K resolution. The behemoth is an enterprise-focused collaboration tool, that comes in three fun colors and has a stand that looks ripped from a Herman Miller catalog, and… Read More
Printing static photos from your phone was so last year. Now, it’s all about AR. Prynt, a startup that makes a small mobile printer that connects to your phone, has just released their newest device, called Prynt Pocket. And the device puts a renewed focus on the company’s AR play, which essentially makes each printed photo a Harry Potter-style moving image. When you select a photo… Read More
There are inefficiencies in the giant self-storage market, and startups like MakeSpace and Clutter have been gaining traction by offering a more consumer-friendly approach. Now there’s another startup entering the picture, with Trove formally launching in the San Francisco Bay Area after a few months of testing the concept in beta. Read More
Thanks to James Corden, CBS will now join a number of other major media publishers in creating content for Snapchat’s Shows – the social service’s smattering of short-form original video series found in the app’s “Discover” section. The network announced this morning that James Corden will star in a new show on Snapchat called “James Corden’s… Read More
In a not-so-surprising move, Apple has appointed Denise Young Smith as its first-ever head of diversity and inclusion. Smith previously served as head of worldwide human resources at Apple for three years, and has been involved in diversity programs at Apple for years. In her new role, Smith will report directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Read More
Facebook Live might be about bringing the entire community together around events, but sometimes you just want to know the reactions of your buddies. Facebook has already announced that its AR camera effects platform will be coming to Live, an announcement today brings a couple of other changes to the platform surrounding social interactions in Live: Live Chat with Friends and Live With.… Read More
Some consolidation is afoot in the world of gaming. Today, Space Ape Games — a London social and mobile games studio founded by alums from Playfish, Mind Candy and EA — announced that Supercell has acquired 62 percent of the company for $55.8 million, as part of a long-term strategic partnership. The deal gives Space Ape a total equity valuation of $90 million. Space… Read More
Putting their own money where their business is, the founders of G2 Crowd joined a new $30 million financing for their business review platform. The round was led by Accel and included undisclosed industry executives and corporate dollars from the professional networking site (and Microsoft subsidiary) LinkedIn. The company said it will use the funds to speed up the development and marketing… Read More
Twitter has found its own way to participate in the growing chatbot trend. The company announced today a new feature for advertisers, which allows businesses on Twitter to promote ads designed to pull consumers into personalized experiences within Direct Messaging – including interactions with chatbots. For example, one brand is running a bot that can help you with a cocktail… Read More
LiDAR is a key ingredient in the overall sensing package required to make autonomous cars a reality (though Tesla would disagree), but it’s also prohibitively expensive, especially for companies just starting out, and researchers not tied to companies with deep pockets. That’s why Innoviz has created a new aftermarket LiDAR unit offering good performance at more budget-friendly… Read More
Many people enjoy several careers over their lifetimes. Then there’s Mike Lynn, an emergency room doctor in Oakland, Calif.; a reserve deputy sheriff; a faculty member at UCSF; a former venture capitalist; and the founder of Hound Labs, a three-year-old, Oakland, Calif.-based company at work on a breathalyzer for marijuana. Read More
Planning a meeting with me used to take hours. First you must bathe yourself in the ritual Spring of Understanding and then, once completely clean, you must enter the room of Writing Down The Appointment. Once that was complete, I required all those requesting a meeting to complete the three trials including the Making of the Hoagie and the Understanding (And Explaining) Of Django Programming. Read More
Long Game is a bank account, with a twist. Every dollar saved can go towards winning a lottery. The personal finance app allows users to play games and win cash prizes, up to $1 million. It may sound like a gimmick, but these are FDIC-insured accounts backed by Blue Ridge Bank in Virginia. And now venture capitalists from Thrive Capital and Collaborative Fund are betting $6.6 million that… Read More
You know it’s spring when VC funds start to announce their new fund raises. But it’s buoying to see a new mid-sized fund appear, which over the years has been highly geared towards early stage startups just starting out on their journey. Pentech has closed its third fund, saying it was oversubscribed at £88 million, surpassing the original target fund size of £70 million. The… Read More
