Thursday, April 18, 2013Report: Goodreads' Acquisition By Amazon Derailed Apple DealGoodreads, the online book review and social networking site which started in Santa Monica, represents the heart of a battle between giants Amazon.com and Apple, according to a report Thursday: who will become the keeper of your digital goods? The WSJ says that Goodreads was on the brink of a partnership with Apple, to add the site's book reviews to iTunes; a deal which apparently was called off when Amazon.com acquired Goodreads. The WSJ said that the deal between Goodreads and Apple would have (More info...)
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Quincy Jones' New Playground Sessions Targets Music EducationCan the web teach you how to play the piano? Quincy Jones--the famed composer and record producer--thinks so, and has co-founded a new company aimed at helping anyone learn to play the piano on their home computer. Jones--who lives in Bel Air--is behind Playground Sessions, which is hoping to make music education available to anyone willing to sign up for a monthly membership. The startup--which is based in New York--charges $9.99 a month for access to high definition video tutorials from Jones, (More info...)
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Factual Teams With Qualcomm LabsLos Angeles-based data startup Factual has a big new partner in its corner this morning, Qualcomm, via Qualcomm Labs. According to Factual and Qualcomm, they are working on combining Qualcomm Labs Gimbal context awareness platform with Factual's location data platform. The new effort is aimed at mobile developers, allowing them to develop apps which are more aware of a user's surroundings. Qualcomm's Gimbal provides location awareness information to software developers on mobile phones; Factual (More info...)
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Hollywood Insiders Back Social Shopping Site The HuntIn a turn from the usual formula of Silicon Valley investors backing a Hollywood, celebrity-driven startup, a Silicon Valley startup has scored the backing of a group of Hollywood insiders. San Francisco-based The Hunt said this week that it has raised a seed funding round worth $2.7M, from such Hollywood insiders as Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary's AGR-ade Investments, Rohan Oza (Vitamin Water, Pop Chips), RedOne (producer for Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez), Keli Lee (EVP of Casting for ABC Enter (More info...)
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Ziptask Takes On Project OutsourcingCan you outsource your outsourcing? Anaheim-based Ziptask said today that it has launched a new, online platform which helps offload the management of freelancers and outsourcing, helping businesses via an online, dedicated virtual project manager. According to Ziptask, the firm's online, cloud-based platform offers up project managers to liason with freelancers, helping to manage hiring of those freelancers, interviews, overseeing the work of those freelancers, as well as delivery of product. T (More info...)
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Cornerstone OnDemand Backs Disaster Relief Readiness EffortSanta Monica-based talent and human resources management software developer Cornerstone OnDemand said today that its non-profit arm, the Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation, has launched a new effort called DisasterReady.org. According to Cornerstone OnDemand, the new, online training resource is aimed at helping assist relief workers in the area of disaster readiness and response.
The new site allows relief workers to train and prepare for deployment in the field, and is supported by such organ (More info...)
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ecoATM Hits One Million Recycled Electronic DevicesSan Diego-based ecoATM, the startup led by Tom Tullie which develops kiosks for recycling used mobile phones, MP3 players, and tablets, reported yesterday that it has now recycled more than one million electronic devices. EcoATM develops self serve kiosks which pay users cash when they trade in their electronic devices. The firm was part of the EvoNexus incubator, and is venture backed by Claremont Creek Ventures, Coinstar, and Tao Venture Capital Partners.
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