Skully officially admits it’s over

 It took more than a week for remaining Skully execs to admit to themselves it was time to shut down. But late last night the company finally sent customers an email, which was obtained by TechCrunch, telling them it has officially closed its doors. The startup’s troubles have been brewing for several months but came to a head two weeks ago when Skully’s board forced founders… Read More http://ift.tt/1DyAtRF Skully officially admits it’s over http://ift.tt/2aC4U...

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Neon Fever Dream is a gripping thriller set at Burning Man

 Below is an excerpt from Neon Fever Dream by Eliot Peper. Neon Fever Dream is about a dark secret hidden in the swirling dust and exultant revelry of Burning Man. It’s a fast-paced thriller with a diverse cast that weaves together everything from the ripple effects of the Sri Lankan civil war to the impacts of new technology on international organized crime. I chose this excerpt because… Read More from Social – TechCrunch http://ift.tt/2auKhmf Neon Fever Dream is a gripping thriller set at Burning Man Eliot Peper http://ift.tt/2aGTrzA via...

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Neon Fever Dream is a gripping thriller set at Burning Man

 Below is an excerpt from Neon Fever Dream by Eliot Peper. Neon Fever Dream is about a dark secret hidden in the swirling dust and exultant revelry of Burning Man. It’s a fast-paced thriller with a diverse cast that weaves together everything from the ripple effects of the Sri Lankan civil war to the impacts of new technology on international organized crime. I chose this excerpt because… Read More http://ift.tt/2auKhmf Neon Fever Dream is a gripping thriller set at Burning Man http://ift.tt/2aGTr...

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Reminder: We’re meeting in Columbus on Wednesday

 I’ll be in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday, August 10, to hold a night of pitches and open mic shenanigans so bring your guitar and pitch deck. The event will be at O’Toole’s 4796 W Broad St, right off I-270. We’ll start at 7 p.m. sharp with pitches, so get there after work. And at 8 p.m. we’ll have an open stage with live music – I’m going to play with… Read More http://ift.tt/2aCakcT Reminder: We’re meeting in Columbus on Wednesday http://ift.tt/2aBJF...

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Airbnb raising a reported $850M at a $30B valuation

 Tech unicorn and sharing economy darling Airbnb has informed the State of Delaware that it’s raising another heap of cash. TechCrunch independently verified that Airbnb indicated in a 28 page filing on July 28th that it has plans to bring in additional late-stage capital. Almost a year after its last raise of $1.6 billion, the company is said to be adding $850 million to its… Read More http://ift.tt/2b1AOHe Airbnb raising a reported $850M at a $30B valuation http://ift.tt/2b1Ak...

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Facebook snatches up team from Eyegroove, a musical selfie app

The team from a startup called Eyegroove, a “musical selfie” app, has joined Facebook. According to a message on the company’s website, most of the small team who worked on the app will now be focused on building new experiences for Facebook users that will help them to “create, share and connect.” Founded in late 2013, the Eyegroove application was the… Read More from Social – TechCrunch http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Facebook snatches up team from Eyegroove, a musical selfie app Sarah Perez http://ift.tt/2aAcdGQ via IFT...

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Tecla’s tech makes Pokémon Go more accessible for wheelchair users

{rss:content:encoded} Tecla’s tech makes Pokémon Go more accessible for wheelchair users http://ift.tt/2b93lI8 http://ift.tt/2aONShz August 05, 2016 at 11:29PM  Toronto-based B corporation Komodo OpenLab thought Pokémon Go using its Tecla product, an assistive hardware device designed to make it easier to use smartphones, tablets and users for people who might not generally be able to interact with these gadgets, including, for example, wheelchair users with spinal injuries or multiple sclerosis. As you can see from the video above,...

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Facebook snatches up team from Eyegroove, a musical selfie app

{rss:content:encoded} Facebook snatches up team from Eyegroove, a musical selfie app http://ift.tt/2aAcdGQ http://ift.tt/2aLHCWr August 05, 2016 at 11:23PM The team from a startup called Eyegroove, a “musical selfie” app, has joined Facebook. According to a message on the company’s website, most of the small team who worked on the app will now be focused on building new experiences for Facebook users that will help them to “create, share and connect.” Founded in late 2013, the Eyegroove application was the… Read More ...

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The social app redundancy engine

 Tumbled glass has a definite appeal: It’s eye-catching, has a pleasant variety of colours, and feels nice in the hand. And making it just takes time, and repetitive motion – throw some glass in a rock tumbler for about a week and voila – what comes out is better than what came in. But it’s also ultimately just glass. The social apps we use every day are starting to look… Read More from Social – TechCrunch http://ift.tt/2azT6Nq The social app redundancy engine Darrell Etherington http://ift.tt/2aLfbYE via IFT...

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Playbuzz launches an analytics product to help publishers create viral content

 Playbuzz has been offering publishers tools to create interactive/social media-friendly content like galleries, lists and polls. Now it’s giving them new ways to track the effectiveness of those tools. The company is announcing the launch of its analytics product, Impact — which was previously in beta testing with select partners, but is now available to all Playbuzz partners.… Read More http://ift.tt/2aEaNwM Playbuzz launches an analytics product to help publishers create viral content http://ift.tt/2azFL...

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Google celebrates Olympics with Doodle Fruit Games

{rss:content:encoded} Google celebrates Olympics with Doodle Fruit Games http://ift.tt/2apJK4X http://ift.tt/2ayWHzd August 05, 2016 at 05:00AM  The Olympics kick off this week and to celebrate, Google is featuring a new interactive doodle in the Google App for iOS and Android every day for the next seven days (and they will all be available for ten days after that). So if you couldn’t make it to Rio (which may be for the better, given all the issues the city currently faces) you can now guide a bunch of delicious fruits through…...

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Facebook rolls out redesigned business Pages

 If you’ve visited a business or brand’s Facebook Page in recent days, you may have noticed things look a little different. The company is now finalizing the roll out of a new, cleaner look-and-feel for Pages, which does away with tabs in favor of left-hand side navigation, and makes the Page’s call-to-action button – like “Sign Up,” “Shop… Read More from Social – TechCrunch http://ift.tt/1ZdJUQY Facebook rolls out redesigned business Pages Sarah Perez http://ift.tt/2aOg4kR via IFT...

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Pokémon Go drives a surge in smartphone backup battery sales

{rss:content:encoded} Pokémon Go drives a surge in smartphone backup battery sales http://ift.tt/2aAn6wt http://ift.tt/2aO3pOv August 05, 2016 at 05:37PM  Early on in the Pokémon Go hype cycle, there were signs that players were driving a significant uptick in sales of backup batteries, like the Mophie units you may be familiar with that offer USB connections for topping up mobile devices while you’re away from an outlet. Now, research from analytics firm NPD Group goes beyond early anecdotal evidence to show that in fact, unit sales… Read...

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Facebook tests opening your camera atop feed with MSQRD selfie filters

{rss:content:encoded} Facebook tests opening your camera atop feed with MSQRD selfie filters http://ift.tt/2arpPmo http://ift.tt/2aAgsUa August 05, 2016 at 05:00PM  Snapchat opens to the camera by default to spur content creation, and now Facebook is trying the same starting with an Olympics-themed test in Brazil and Canada. Instead of just the “What are you doing?” text status update prompt, users will see an open camera window as Facebook executes on Mark Zuckerberg’s promise to put “video at the heart of all of our apps.”… Read More ...

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Facebook tests opening your camera atop feed with MSQRD selfie filters

 Snapchat opens to the camera by default to spur content creation, and now Facebook is trying the same starting with an Olympics-themed test in Brazil and Canada. Instead of just the “What are you doing?” text status update prompt, users will see an open camera window as Facebook executes on Mark Zuckerberg’s promise to put “video at the heart of all of our apps.”… Read More from Social – TechCrunch http://ift.tt/2aAgsUa Facebook tests opening your camera atop feed with MSQRD selfie filters Josh Constine http://ift.tt/2arpPmo via IFT...

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Twitter’s latest test encourages users to Direct Message brands, not tweet at them

 A number of businesses use Twitter to interact with their customers and offer support. But that often means responding to angry tweets directed at their account, then switching users over to private messaging to deal with the issues at hand. Now the company is testing a new feature for brands that puts its “Messaging” button front-and-center, thereby encouraging customers to… Read More from Social – TechCrunch http://ift.tt/1O97Ilp Twitter’s latest test encourages users to Direct Message brands, not tweet at them Sarah Perez http://ift.tt/2aGh6gE via...

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Baker raises $1.6 million to help marijuana dispensaries get customers in the door

 The average seed round in the nascent cannabis industry in the U.S. hovers around $1 million, according to hemp and cannabis-focused investment research by Poseidon Asset Management. But Denver-based Baker has raised $1.6 million in seed funding for software that helps marijuana dispensaries win new customers, eliminate long lines in stores, and retain and reward their best customers for… Read More http://ift.tt/2aTjCU5 Baker raises $1.6 million to help marijuana dispensaries get customers in the door http://ift.tt/2aXDD...

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Spotify follows Discover Weekly with personalized new releases playlist

{rss:content:encoded} Spotify follows Discover Weekly with personalized new releases playlist http://ift.tt/2ayNwZy http://ift.tt/2aCZSDA August 05, 2016 at 01:00PM  Spotify is doubling down on its strategy to beat Apple Music with big data-driven personalized playlists like Discover Weekly — a huge hit that saw 40 million users in its first year. Today it launches Release Radar, a 2-hour algorithmically personalized playlist updated each Friday that features newly released songs from artists each user already listens to. Release Radar will...

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Spotify follows Discover Weekly with personalized new releases playlist

 Spotify is doubling down on its strategy to beat Apple Music with big data-driven personalized playlists like Discover Weekly — a huge hit that saw 40 million users in its first year. Today it launches Release Radar, a 2-hour algorithmically personalized playlist updated each Friday that features newly released songs from artists each user already listens to. Release Radar will appear at… Read More http://ift.tt/2aCZSDA Spotify follows Discover Weekly with personalized new releases playlist http://ift.tt/2ayNw...

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Facebook built, but won’t launch, a “Facebook Stories” Snapchat clone

 Facebook built its own version of Snapchat Stories, called Quick Updates, but will not release it. Though Instagram Stories launched this week, Facebook isn’t going to follow suit. Quick Updates created a special place to share within the Facebook app but outside of the News Feed. Accessible from a button at the top of the feed, Quick Updates would have let people share 24-hour… Read More from Social – TechCrunch http://ift.tt/2aReKPe Facebook built, but won’t launch, a “Facebook Stories” Snapchat clone Josh Constine http://ift.tt/2aWB3ok via...

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