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The Long Fall
Why would the fun stop? Despite the economy of the United States posting anemic growth in the aftermath of the 2007-8 economic crisis, its stock markets are trading near record highs in some cases, and local maximums in others. Money is cheap, companies are flush with cash, job growth has somewhat picked up after a host of setbacks, and there are signs here and there of a stiffening… Read More
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Jack Dorsey’s Advertising Agency Couldn’t Make A More Pretentious Website If It Tried
Quid had a good run, but it looks like we have a new champion in the endless battle to have the most pretentious startup website. West, an advertising agency founded by former Apple exec Allison Johnson in 2011 with backing from Jack Dorsey and Ray Chambers, has managed to claim that spot with a site that offers absolutely no information about who works there or what kinds of services they offer. Read More
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Bending All The Phones: iPhone 6 vs. HTC One M8 vs. Moto X
Before the launch of the iPhone 6 Plus, the idea of people being concerned about how “bendy” their phone is would’ve seemed laughable. A week later, I’m hearing random people in my just-outside-of-the-echo-chamber coffee spot talk about it like they’d talk about the weather. Strange. Read More
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Digital Telepathy Is The Future Of The Human Species
The story of life on Earth thus far has had an unmistakable direction, and it has moved towards greater complexity. Sure, evolution has seen lots of fits and starts and collapses and mass extinctions. And yes, some replicators (like viruses) seem to have become less complex over time. Read More
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A Manual iPhone Camera, Finally
Finally is a funny word, especially when it comes to Apple. I try to avoid using it because I’m cognizant of the fact that Apple’s pacing is often a lot different than the hive mind’s idea of what it should be. Just see how long it took to implement third-party keyboards in a way that was satisfactory security-wise for an example. Read More
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Walmart Now Offering Low-Cost Mobile Checking Accounts Through Exclusive Deal With Green Dot’s GoBank
Apple Pay what again? Walmart is getting into the mobile banking space, the company announced this morning, through a partnership with financial services provider Green Dot Corporation. The company’s low-cost checking account product called GoBank is now being made available exclusively at Walmart, offering customers an overdraft-free bank account with no minimum balance requirements. Read More
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A Song To Make The iOS 8.0.1 Team Feel Better About Breaking Everyone’s iPhones
The iOS team probably isn’t having the best day today. Within minutes of the iOS 8.0.1 update going live, reports started pouring in that it was causing all sorts of issues. Within hours, it was pulled. Don’t worry, iOS team! There’s already a song meant to cheer you up. Read More
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Orange Partners Its Startup Accelerator With Visa, Moët, And LG
This morning, Orange, a large French telecom, announced that it has secured a number of partner companies to support its fourth startup accelerator batch, forming what it un-ironically and patly calls the Fab Force. The name dings with Microsoft overtones due to Orange calling its accelerator, you guessed it, Orange Fab. Read More
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October’s Disrupt Conference Brings Together Europe And The Valley
Following a massively successful inaugural event last year in Berlin, the second TechCrunch Disrupt Europe will take place from 18-21st October 2014 in London, at the amazing Old Billingsgate venue. The London conference kicks off with the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon from 18th to 19th October, followed by two days of in-depth onstage interviews and panels with some of the biggest names in… Read More
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To Bridge the Skills Gap, Focus On Improving Computer Science’s Image
It’s becoming increasingly clear that computer science education grapples with a stubborn image problem. And it’s one that we simply cannot afford to ignore any longer. As information technology permeates nearly every aspect of our world today – from personal mobile devices to automated HR systems to the smart grid – it fuels a rapidly growing need for computer scientists. Read More
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PathSource Goes Mobile, Connecting Careers With Youth On The Go
Today, PathSource is launching a Kickstarter to connect students and careers on mobile. PathSource is aimed at giving students direct access to information about professional opportunities that are available to them based on their skills, interests and background. You may remember the company from last year when it launched a web application aimed at K12 students along the same lines. Read More
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Designer Builds A 3D-Printable “Imura Revolver” In Honor Of Arrested Japanese Maker
When Japanese police arrested Yoshitomo Imura for printing his own revolvers, 3D printing advocates in some circles were up in arms. The guns, which only fired blanks, were simple test models called the Zig-Zag. Now, in honor of Imura’s work in 3D printing, a CAD designer has created a newer, better gun that could be used to fire real bullets. The designer, who calls himself WarFairy… Read More
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The First Four-Seater, Solar-Powered Vehicle Hits The U.S. Road
Stella, the first ever family sized road vehicle that runs on the sun has made its U.S. debut. The car took first place in the World Solar Challenge and won the Michelin Cruiser Class for completing a 3,000 kilometer journey from Darwin to Adelaide in Australia last fall. Read More
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Apple Pulls iOS 8.0.1 Update After Bug Knocks Out Cell Service And Touch ID On iPhone 6 Models
Update: Apple has pulled the iOS 8.0.1 update from availability, a fix is likely incoming. For now, it appears to only affect iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users. An Apple spokesperson provided us with the following statement: “We have received reports of an issue with the iOS 8.0.1 update. We are actively investigating these reports and will provide information as quickly as we can. In… Read More
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Estimote Launches Indoor Location Service Using iBeacon Tech
Estimote, maker of hardware beacon devices and a platform for managing software that uses beacon connections, such as Apple’s iBeacon system, has just launched its Indoor Location features. The Indoor Location system that Estimote provides works with the company’s existing beacons, and its updated iOS app. Setup is simple, Estimote says, and requires simply arranging a minimum of… Read More
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HotelTonight Pivots Beyond Same-Day Booking As Competition Heats Up
HotelTonight is planning a major shift to its business model, moving from its same-day booking model to a more flexible offering of seven-day advance booking. TechCrunch has obtained an email sent from HotelTonight to one of its hotel partners, showing that the startup is planning to let users book hotel rooms up to seven days in advance, although it will continue to offer same-day bookings… Read More
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The $5 Lineable Bracelet Tracks Your Kids When They Wander Away
The Lineable, the unfortunately named tracking bracelet for kids, aims to make it easier for parents to keep tabs on their little ones thanks to the magic of beacons. Essentially a wearable iOS-compatible beacon, the device notifies you when your child is too far away and it allows other iPhones to become a sort of ad hoc GPS system that can track your little one through the dark, scary… Read More
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Motorola’s Moto X Should Be Your Next Android Phone
As we enter the era of the ubiquitous Big Phone, it’s refreshing to hold something like the slim and light second-generation Moto X. Priced at $500 unlocked and about $99 with a contract, this 5.2-inch phone with 1080p OLED screen and Gorilla Glass front is a step beyond the latest from LG and, while not as feature-rich as the Samsung Galaxy S5, well worth a look as an upgrade to… Read More
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Amazon Expands Its Twitter Integrations, Now Lets You Add Items To A Wish List By Tweeting
Earlier this year, Amazon announced an integration with Twitter that would allow customers to add items to a shopping cart just by appending the #AmazonCart hashtag to a tweet. Today, the company is expanding on its Twitter functionality with the introduction of a new hashtag, #AmazonWishList, which – as you can guess – will post a tweeted product to your Amazon Wish List. In… Read More