Saturday, May 11, 2013

Article: This startup has now raised $1.1 billion

Silicon Valley venture capitalists like to crow that it's now cheaper than ever to establish a startup company. While that may be true for internet firms, the amount of money required to fund a Silicon Valley green tech startup can be mind-boggling.

Case in point is fuel cell maker Bloom Energy...

http://qz.com/83730/startup-bloom-energy-has-now-raised-1-1-billion

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Friday, May 10, 2013

Nokia announces the Lumia 928: 4.5-inch OLED display, OIS camera, available May 16th for $100 (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/10/nokia-lumia-928/

Nokia announces the Lumia 928 45inch OLED display, OIS camera, available May 16th for $100 video

If you've heard enough of Nokia's near future plans for its Lumia range, sorry -- there's more. While the company's official event isn't until next Tuesday in London, that hasn't stopped it from announcing the Lumia 928 on Verizon. Again. Nokia's latest installment supplants the Lumia 822 and HTC's 8X for the US carrier, matching the camera specifications (Carl Zeiss f/2.0 lens, 8.7-megapixel sensor) we saw in the Lumia 920 and pairing it all with a potent xenon flash. There's also high-amp mics and a 4.5-inch OLED (1,280 x 768) display protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass. Inside, you'll find a capable 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 2,000mAH battery and 32GB of storage for all those low-blur photos. As for the phone itself, compared to the bright (admittedly chunky) looks of its predecessor, we're looking at a toned-down refresh, in black and white options, with a more squared design aiming to complement those Windows Phone Live Tiles.

Contactless charging and NFC are both built in, as are all those extra Nokia software additions, including Here maps and Nokia Music. It'll launch in the US on May 16th, priced at $99.99 with a mail-in rebate, while you'll also pick up $25 of credit for Windows Phone apps and games if you decide to sign up. Nokia's got an officially sanctioned hands-on after the break -- expect to see our opinions on it next week.

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Source: Nokia Conversations, Verizon

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Samsung SM-C1010 hits Bluetooth SIG, rumored to be next Galaxy Camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/10/samsung-SM-C1010-bluetooth-sig/

DNP Mysterious Samsung smartphone hits the Bluetooth sig, rumors say it could be a new Galaxy Camera

Slapping Android on a point-and-shoot worked surprisingly well for Samsung with the Galaxy Camera, but the device did have flaws -- not least its size and inability to make phone calls. A rumor that originated on SamMobile a few days ago suggested that the South Korean handset maker is working on a sequel called the SM-C1010 (or possibly "S4 Zoom") that adds an ear piece and shrinks the screen down to 4.3-inches from the original model's 4.8-inch display. Another rumor at Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru hints at a smaller 10x zoom, instead of 21x.

Now, this very same SM-C1010 model number has cropped up on the Bluetooth SIG's website, leading us to believe that something is up. The rumors also point towards this mysterious handset having a 16-megapixel sensor, qHD AMOLED display, 8GB of built-in storage along with a microSD card slot and Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy support. At first glance, a smaller screen with fewer pixels may not sound too appealing, but if it results in a cheaper, longer lasting and more pocketable device, then we might be persuaded.

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Via: Unwired View

Source: Bluetooth SIG, SamMobile, Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru (translated)

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Flayvr Automatically Sorts Your Photos and Videos Into Event Albums

Source: http://lifehacker.com/flayvr-automatically-sorts-your-photos-and-videos-into-498901939

iOS/Android: Flayvr organizes your photos and videos into moving-picture albums on your device that can then be easily shared with friends via the web.

The app is actually slightly reminiscent of HTC Share in that you get a collage of pictures and videos, and the images animate to make your albums feel more active and alive. Flavyr differs from Gallery replacement apps like QuickPic in that it doesn't pull up every photo you've ever taken, but instead attempts to curate them into related collections. You can also share a Flayvr album by uploading it to the web and sending your friends a simple simple link, similar to Vine or Instagram (minus the social network aspect).

Flayvr (Free) | Google Play via Addictive Tips

Flayvr (Free) | iTunes App Store

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President Obama issues executive order to make government data open and machine readable

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/10/open-government-data/

Remember Data.gov? The President does, and he has issued an executive order that should give the information portal a shot in the arm. Starting this week, new and modernized Government information systems should use open and machine readable formats by default, adhering to the guidelines of a new Open Data Policy. The policy requires agencies to use open, machine readable formats that are non-proprietary, publicly available and unrestricted, and aims to put useful data in the hands of US companies while increasing privacy and security.

According to the White House blog, this means new data will be served in CSV, XML, JSON and other machine readable formats, and will even be accessible via API in some situations. The White House hopes the new policy will help foster innovation. "There are private companies using open data to fight credit card fraud; consumers using open data to save on their energy bills; families leveraging open data to compare health care options; and a host of new apps and tools in areas ranging from public safety, to financial planning, to education, and more," the blog explains. "We are very excited about the path ahead and can't wait to see what new ideas and yet to be imagined innovations can be unlocked by increased access to open data." Head past the break to read the executive order for yourself, and check out the source PDF for a peek at the new Open Data Policy.

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Source: White House (1), (2), PDF (3)

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