Facebook launches Creator app for influencers to build video communities

Facebook wants to turn mindless, passive video consumption into “time well spent,” and now it’s giving social media stars a powerful tool to foster communities around their content. Today Facebook launches Facebook Creator, offering influencers Live Creative Kit for adding intros and outros to broadcasts, a unified inbox of Facebook and Instagram comments plus Messenger… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/16/facebook-creator-app/?ncid=rss

Imgur’s favorite folders turn 250M meme lords into curators

Either you’re one of 250 million monthly Imgurians, or you probably have no idea what Imgur is. But those who are part of the addictive image-sharing community know there’s been one feature at the top of the request lists forever: favorite folders. Today, Imgur fulfills the wishes of the masses with the official launch of favorite folders. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/16/imgur-favorite-folders/?ncid=rss

OnePlus adds a six-inch screen and face unlock for the 5T

OnePlus has carved out a nice niche for itself over the past couple of years. The company’s never been too preoccupied with the rush toward bleeding-edge tech. Instead, it’s worked to provide consumers with one of the best deals in smartphones. And the newly announced 5T is firmly inline with that mission statement. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/16/oneplus-adds-a-six-inch-screen-and-face-unlock-for-the-5t/?ncid=rss

Instagram Stories adds no-frills photo-only posting from mobile web

Instagram really wants the developing world on Stories. They won’t be able to use Instagram’s augmented reality masks or share videos, but starting today mobile web users can post to Instagram Stories. Previously, mobile web users could only view Stories, which have to be created in Instagram’s native apps. But now users can snap photos, overlay text captions, and share them… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/16/instagram-stories-mobile-web/?ncid=rss

Facebook teen-in-residence defects to Google and launches Lies

At age 17, Michael Sayman was Facebook’s youngest employee ever. Having already launched 5 apps, he wowed Mark Zuckerberg, earned a demo spot on stage at Facebook F8 conference, and scored a full-time engineering gig as the social network’s go-to teen. Over the past three years, he helped Facebook try to crack the middle school market with apps like the now defunct Lifestage. But… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/15/lies-app/?ncid=rss

Adeptmind raises $4.5M from Fidelity to bring smarter search to retailers

If you’ve ever searched for a product on any website that’s not Amazon or Google, you’ve probably had a bad time trying to find something — and then go straight back to Google or Amazon. That’s a significant problem for retailers, which need to ensure that potential customers that are already signaling a lot of interest in buying something will actually be able… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/15/adeptmind-raises-4-5m-from-fidelity-to-bring-smarter-search-to-retailers/?ncid=rss

The Moto Z’s latest Mod turns the phone into a Polaroid instant camera

The Moto Z’s selection of modular backings have been pretty hit or miss (largely miss, if I’m being honest), but this one’s pretty clever. Sure, the addition of a Polaroid Insta-Share Printer Moto Mod probably isn’t going to make anyone run out and buy the company’s latest flagship, but this is a case where it actually makes sense to have the accessory as a… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/15/the-moto-zs-latest-mod-turns-the-phone-into-a-polaroid-instant-camera/?ncid=rss

Sprint adds free Hulu service to its Unlimited Freedom plan

As had been rumored this week, Hulu and Sprint today announced that Hulu’s service will now come bundled with Sprint’s unlimited wireless plan. Starting on November 17, both new and existing customers of the Sprint Unlimited Freedom plan will gain access to Hulu’s Limited Commercials service – the on-demand TV streaming service offering access to thousands of TV shows… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/15/sprint-adds-free-hulu-service-to-its-unlimited-freedom-plan/?ncid=rss

Essential offers up an Android Oreo beta for the Essential Phone

Android smartphone maker Essential promised that it would be releasing an update to Android 8.0 Oreo for its devices soon, and now there’s a beta version of the update available through its developer portal. This is just a beta, as mentioned, but it’s broadly available for anyone interested enough in the Oreo update to try out pre-release software. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/essential-offers-up-an-android-oreo-beta-for-the-essential-phone/?ncid=rss

A mesh network spontaneously erupts in the US and helps connect Puerto Rico

When goTenna put out their Mesh device earlier this year, I thought the off-grid gadgets would be great for an emergency kit or back-country hike. But it turns out that I underestimated the demand for a resilient, user-powered mesh network: dedicated nodes now populate cities across the country, and volunteers are using them to get Puerto Rico back online after a devastating hurricane season. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/a-mesh-network-spontaneously-erupts-in-the-us-and-helps-connect-puerto-rico/?ncid=rss

Pinterest Lens now gives users a way to figure out their outfits with the clothes in their closet

Looking for what to wear is one of the bigger use cases on Pinterest, but as the company looks to make the process of getting the right content to users more seamless, it’s been increasingly focusing on its interface with the real world with the camera. Now the company is going a step further by letting users tap the camera’s visual search technology with clothes that are already… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/pinterest-lens-now-gives-users-a-way-to-figure-out-their-outfits-with-the-clothes-in-their-closet/?ncid=rss

Pinterest rolls out its own version of QR codes

If you are walking around a retailer, you might have seen a sign or something along those lines posted to check out its Pinterest account for additional content or products — but there was not really a seamless way to get to that account. Taking a cue from the prevalence of QR codes around the world, Pinterest is rolling out its own variation of QR codes for retailers and brands. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/pinterest-rolls-out-its-own-version-of-qr-codes/?ncid=rss

Cloudflare expands into mobile performance with Neumob acquisition

Cloudflare made a significant acquisition today when it acquired mobile VPN startup, Neumob. The purchase gives Cloudflare a mobile performance tool it was lacking, and a road to its first direct to consumer product. The company did not reveal the purchase price. Neumob, which had raised close to $11 million, was founded in 2015 to give users a faster mobile VPN experience that purports to… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/14/cloudflare-expands-into-mobile-performance-with-neumob-acquisition/?ncid=rss

Facebook launches collaborative Stories for Groups and Events

Facebook is combining its Snapchat Stories clone with features Snapchat can’t match. Starting today, users of Facebook Groups and Events will be able to contribute to a Facebook Story visible to the rest of the members and moderated by the admins. In essence, these collaborative Stories will work like a private hashtag so multiple people can add content but only those involved can see it. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/13/facebook-event-stories/?ncid=rss

Facebook Stories replaces Messenger Day with synced cross-posting

Facebook is cleaning up the redundancy in its Snapchat Stories clones. Today Facebook is killing off the Messenger Day brand and merging the chat app’s stories feature with Facebook Stories. Now, just called “Stories,” 24-hour ephemeral posts in either Facebook or Messenger will appear in both apps, and viewing will be synced, too. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/13/rip-direct-and-messenger-day/?ncid=rss

Snapchat’s epic strategy flip-flop

It takes courage to say you were wrong about almost everything. But that’s what Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel did this week, and that’s what it will take to save Snapchat. From algorithmic feeds to partnerships to target markets to recruiting adults, Snap is planning a 180-degree turn across the board. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/13/time-to-snap-into-action/?ncid=rss

ESPN launches a short-form version of SportsCenter on Snapchat

ESPN today announced it’s launching a short-form version of its SportsCenter show on Snapchat, which will kick off today at 5 PM ET. The show will then begin to release new episodes on a twice-daily basis, at 5 AM and 5 PM on weekdays and once, at 5 AM, on weekends. The launch will make SportsCenter the first-ever daily sports show on Snapchat’s platform. The move comes at a time… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/13/espn-launches-a-short-form-version-of-sportscenter-on-snapchat/?ncid=rss

Qualcomm rejects Broadcom’s $70 per share takeover offer

Qualcomm’s board of directors has unanimously voted to reject an acquisition offer from rival chipmaker Broadcom. Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/13/qualcomm-rejects-broadcoms-70-per-share-takeover-offer/?ncid=rss

Graphcore raises $50M amid a flurry of AI chip activity

While some of the largest chip manufacturers are looking to shift their focus onto the GPU for their biggest machine learnings, there’s a blooming ecosystem of new chip startups looking to rethink the way processing for AI works That includes a European-based startup called Graphcore, which said today that it has raised $50 million in new financing led by Sequoia Capital — following… Read More

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/12/graphcore-raises-50m-amid-a-flurry-of-ai-chip-activity/?ncid=rss

Bike-share platform Spin poaches Seattle transit regulator and launches in a dozen new cities

Spin, one of several bike-sharing companies now vying for dominance in a number of U.S. cities, has a new weapon to wield against its competitors: Kyle Rowe, the architect of Seattle’s permissive and apparently successful bike-share permit system, who is joining the company to work on government partnerships. In addition, Spin is gearing up to launch in a dozen or so new cities. Read More