Category: Tech news

 “The company was profitable. We probably would have pursued an IPO. The business was accelerating”, LiveRail CEO Mark Trefgarne tells me in his first interview about how his company was acquired by Facebook in July for what multiple sources say was $500 million.
Still, rather than go public, Trefgarne said his team realized that “If we work hard at Facebook, we have a real… Read More

 Apple is participating in this year’s Hour of Code, the second annual worldwide event designed to help spark interest in and provide access to coding education among youth and students. Apple’s participation will involve offering free one-hour workshops at its Apple Store retail locations, during which they’ll provide attendees with an introduction to basic computer… Read More

 At its annual shareholder’s meeting this week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Chairman John Thompson fielded a series of questions from the Reverend Jesse Jackson concerning diversity inside the technology company. The set of queries gave Microsoft a chance to address how it approaches the issue. Read More

 Can a mobile, social application bloom outside the Valley or other traditional tech hotspots? Raleigh, North Carolina-based WedPics has proven it can. The company, which makes a photo and video-sharing app for wedding couples and their guests, has now closed on $4.25 million in Series B funding led by Bullpen Capital, and is working on a second close that will see TV’s “Shark… Read More

 Disney just unveiled its digital learning initiative Imagicademy, which will launch on December 11. The company first mentioned Imagicademy last month, but without any real details. As outlined at a press event today in New York, it’s a suite of mobile learning apps for kids, along with an app where parents can follow along, give their kids a virtual high five, and see recommended… Read More

 Tony O. Elumelu, one of Africa’s wealthiest magnates (who recently launched a $100 million program to support entrepreneurship in Africa) is understood to have put an undisclosed sum into Silicon Valley-based mobile startup Wonderloop.
Prior to this, Wonderloop had raised $500,000 in seed funding and received $100,000 from Innovation Norway.
Heirs Holdings, a Lagos based proprietary… Read More

 Some more consolidation afoot in the world of e-commerce site aggregation and marketing. Connexity, the price comparison shopping and marketing technology company that rebranded from Shopzilla earlier this year, has acquired Become.com. The announcement had been made internally as well as to partners, but Connexity did not plan to make the deal public until the new year, after the holiday… Read More

 Datasift has come a long way. It’s now at 135 people (is aiming for 200 people next year), is poised to open a London Office (it’s actually been based just outside London all this time), and has raised nearly $80m in venture. TechCrunch understands that it’s soon raising series D at a valuation of near on $500 million. It’s now unveiled a new product called Vedo Focus.… Read More

 Over the last few years, Google has run a reseller program for Google Apps For Work, as well as programs around some of its other services. Today it is relaunching and consolidating these programs under the Google Apps for Work and Education Partner Program moniker. The new partner program will combine Google’s existing programs around Apps, Chrome, Cloud Platform, Maps and Search.… Read More

Despite being one of the first two Android Wear watches you could buy, LG didn’t really make much of a splash with the original G Watch. It was pretty bland-looking, particularly when compared to the beautiful round Moto 360. Now, LG is back with a round watch of its own.

The post Review: LG G Watch R appeared first on WIRED.

If you’re a lifetime rock-and-roller—either in the crowd or on the stage—these dynamic, electronic earplugs will keep your ears damage-free without forcing you to give up the natural nuances of the music.

The post Review: Etymotic Music PRO Electronic Earplugs appeared first on WIRED.

 Will the public market welcome a company with expanding losses? Hortonworks is ready to find out.
Earlier today, the company priced its initial public offering, announcing that it will sell its shares for between $12 and $14 apiece. Early analysis pegs the company’s valuation at a per-share price in the middle of the proposed range of $659 million. Read More

 The lawsuit between Form Labs and 3D Systems relating to stereolithography has been dismissed with prejudice, a move that frees Form Labs to make their printers without fear of further patent problems. 3D Systems first sued Form Labs back in 2012 for patent infringement related to their laser-based stereolithography techniques. In the interim, the company has grown to 100 people and has… Read More

 We returned to Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood for the latest episode of Built in Brooklyn. This time we visited the offices of Atavist, which co-founder and CEO Evan Ratliff described as “a storytelling company” — it’s both a publisher of longform journalism and the company behind Creatavist, a platform used by other online publishers. Ratliff is a journalist… Read More

 AOL is confirming that it has acquired Vidible.
Recode broke the news shortly before the official announcement. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Recode says the price was around $50 million. Read More