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Virtual Skinny: We Can Be Your Motivation…

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

4.18.2016

Good to Know:  Does your LinkedIn profile bring all the recruiters to the yard? If not, you’ll need three things: a strong headline, a well-written summary, and keywords. #MondayMotivation 

shia

THE SKINNY

When Presidents Are Just Like Us … 

It’s his last year in office, and President Obama is telling us how he really feels. This time, he’s talking cable set-top boxes. Obama is not here for providers forcing you to rent old-school cable boxes from them.

When You Want to Know More…

Last Friday, he went on the record and made a public statement about the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s pending proposal to increase competition in the cable set-top box market.  Obama thinks consumers are spending billions of dollars every year to rent those damn boxes and don’t even have a say in what they get. He’d like to see the market open up to innovative players like Internet and tech companies (e.g., Google, Amazon, and Apple).

When People Come For You …

The U.S. cable market is not happy with Obama’s latest revelation. Given Obama’s close ties to the tech industry, companies like AT&T say that Obama is simply giving a little shine to his political squad.

When You Let Your Haters Be Your Motivator…

While the cable market cries over spilled milk, the Obama Administration has filed its official comments re the FCC’s proposal. The Administration wants a “measured and balanced” plan to get the market competitive again. Based on the president’s 2016 State of the Union address, this is all part of the course.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

If You Stay Ready, You Never Have to Get Ready …

Looks like Verizon is prepping for the new cable set-top box market. It’s coming out with “Mallard,” a new device (complete with new interface features) to change-up how it offers cable and Internet services to FIOS users.

The European Union’s Back At It Again …

With an antitrust probe into Google.  The company’s coming under fire in a couple of different ways. First, News Corp is the latest to question whether the Google machine’s search and news services are legal. And, EU regulators are gunning for mobile operating system Android. The EU thinks Google should let phone makers and operators do what they want. In other words, EU regulators are not cool with Google requiring phone makers to pre-load Google apps rather than allowing them to choose their own “app” adventure.

QUICK POLL – RUN THOSE NUMBERS …

Amazon v. Netflix v. Hulu: Which Streaming Service Should You Got With? Check It Out …

Screen Shot 2016-04-18 at 10.10.38 AM

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

In 2005, Mark Zuckerberg was just another “bro.” At the time, he described Facebook as “an online directory for colleges.”  He’s come a long way …

IRL, Brazil’s government is getting ready to impeach its president Dilma Rousseff for cookin’ the country’s books for her 2014 re-election.  The government’s lower chamber had no problem saying yes to Rouseff’s ousting. The Senate is up next. Meanwhile, Netflix is prepping for an original series based on Brazil’s political drams. The new show will be created by Jose Padilha, formerly of another Netflix original, “Narcos.” #MentalNotes #AddtoQue

What’s the Amazon version of “Netflix and Chill?” While you’re thinking about that, Amazon’s becoming more open. It’s going with a $9/month video-only subscription to compete with the ‘Flix.

Home-sharing service AirBnB is already in India, but now it’s taking market domination more seriously. Turns out India’s travel market could be worth a whopping US $40 billion within 5 years.  How do we sign up?

When will this whole ordeal come to an end? Verizon may be the likely buyer of Yahoo. #OverIt

The Virtual Skinny: Hello September

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

9.2.2015

Good to Know: Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is preggers with twins! She doesn’t plan to take much of a maternity leave. Mazel! 

THE SKINNY.

Legal Woes like Woah … 

Uber drivers’ lawsuit against the ride hailing app just got interesting.  A U.S. district judge just gave the drivers a pretty big status upgrade — a class action status upgrade that is.

Give Me the Deats …

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen said that Uber’s drivers may ban together to sue the company on whether they should be considered full-fledged employees or independent contractors. Oh, and the tips. The drivers also want tips that were allegedly never sent their way.

So, What? 

In the short term, a class action suit means that Uber drivers are now in a better position to negotiate a settlement.  In the long term, it’s hard to say.  If the drivers are eventually determined to be employees, it could spell trouble for Uber and other sharing economy companies like Lyft and Handy that rely on contractor models. Basically, the companies would be on the hook for payrolls taxes, Social Security, workers’ comp, etc.  We’ll wait and see.

What Else Is Going On?

All Eyes on You … 

Google’s antitrust issues in Europe are well-documented, but now, other countries are jumping on the bandwagon. India, Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina to name a few. These countries are taking a close look at Google from its financials to its competitiveness when it comes to search and online advertising.  In happier news, Google just got a new logo. It’s first major logo change since 1999.  Learn more about it here.

Binge Watching Will Never Be The Same Again … 

Say goodbye to major blockbusters like Hunger Games and Transformers on your Netflix account.  The online streaming service won’t be renewing its agreement with Epix, which owns a catalogue of big blockbuster films. Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos says it makes perfect business sense because those titles are also available via other platforms and service.  Rather, Netflix is opting for more original content with new works coming from stars like Rickey Gervais, Adam Sandler, and Idris Elba (and no, we don’t think he’s “too street” to take on new roles (looking at you Anthony Horowitz – apology not accepted)!

They’re Coming For You …

While Netflix is turning its attention to original content, Amazon is making some changes to its video service.  The e-commerce company turned online content provider is offering users the ability to now download videos and watch them offline via Amazon Prime. Talk about game changer!

International Takeover … 

Despite its recent issues, Twitter is moving full steam ahead with its international expansion.  The social platform has put together a team in its Jakarta office to help acquire new users from Indonesia’s market of 250 million people and up revenues while they’re at it. This new team will be tasked with business development and marketing to bring in new media partnerships, increase advertising sales, and focus on public policy issues.

Work, Werk, or Maybe a Bit of Both… 

Looks like luxury brands want brilliant tech minds just as much as tech wants fashion.  Ian Rogers, creator of Beats 1 – Apple’s online radio station – is heading over to LMVH as its Chief Digital Officer to help luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Moët & Chandon and Bulgari fully transition to e-commerce and social media.

The Streets Are Talkin’ 

Instagram now wants you to communicate via private and group messages. #KeepingItYoung

ASOS, British online retailer, is losing its top boss. Co-founder and CEO Nick Robertson is leaving the company after 15 years.  While reasons for the departure are not yet known, what is known is that the company took a hit after the announcement.  The company’s shares are down 3.7 percent.  Oy!

The Virtual Skinny: Making Waves

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

3.31.2015

Good to Know:  No more lame texts.  Magisto Shot, an app related to FB messenger, wants to bring you what its founder Oren Boiman calls Video 2.0.  Basically, Boiman wants to bring back body language, facial gestures, etc. through video messages. We’re interested. 

THE SKINNY.

I’M A HUST-LAH… 

Earlier this week, Jay Z launched his new music streaming service, Tidal.  To be fair, it’s actually a re-launch.  Hova through one of his companies, Project Panther Bidco, put up $54 million to purchase Tidal from its former owner Stockholm based company Aspiro. 

Ok, And? 

We know what you’re thinking … what makes this any different from Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or other existing music streaming services?  Tidal is being marketed as offering high definition music streaming services as well as access to HD music videos and industry news courtesy of the company’s editorial team.  Unlike Spotify, there is no “free” option. Basic service will cost about $10 and premium service twice that amount at $20.  #RICH

Why Should I Consider It? 

During the Tidal press event (which according to popular opinion was a bit off), big name artists like Rihanna, Kanye West, Madonna, Daft Punk, and Beyonce (obvi) to name a few are supporters of Tidal.  It’s reported that these artists will stream exclusively on the platform.  Even Taylor Swift who caused an uproar not too long ago by pulling her entire catalog of music from Spotify wants in (1989 is still out of the question though).  Other than personal and professional relationships to lock in these artists, it looks like Tidal’s promise to pay these artists more per stream than other existing services is a good selling point for their participation.  #TIDALforALL   

Don’t Knock It Before You Try It? 

Tidal is offering a 30-day free trial.  Interested? Try it out and let us know how you feel.  Tweet us at @Briefed_me!

What Else is Going On?

In Other Music News … 

Apple and Beats are teaming up for its very own music service to rival Spotify and now Tidal. This service is in addition to its  iTunes Radio. Pricing will be on par with its competitors since Apple was unsuccessful in securing a $2 markdown from $10 to $8.  Also, on the global scene, Alibaba is making good on its promise to be the world’s largest digital empire.  The Chinese e-commerce site just secured a digital distribution deal with BMG, a German music rights group. BMG exec Hartwig Masuch sees this deal as a huge opportunity, “Internet and paricular mobile media are quickly providing an answer to the music industry’s long-time challenge of how to monetize the vast untapped potential of the Chinese market.”

Stepping Up to the Plate …

Tech industry leaders are jumping into social issues in the aftermath of Indiana’s new law.  What law? Well, ICYMI the state’s Republican Governor Mike Pence recently signed into law the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  The issue is this new law could potentially lead to discrimination against the LGBT community. Arkansas passed a similar bill.  In a joint statement out today by many tech leaders, the group said, “To ensure no one faces discrimination and ensure everyone preserves their right to live out their faith, we call on all legislatures to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes to their civil rights laws and to explicitly forbid discrimination or denial of services to anyone.”  Sidenote: Pence is rumored to be considered a 2016 presidential run.  This should be interesting …

Other Woes …

It’s that time of the year again and the tech community is not pleased.  April 1 marks the period where U.S. immigration accepts H-1B wok visa applications.  In recent years, demand has always outpaced supply when it comes to potential employees and their employers securing these visas.  This year won’t be any different.  There are 85k visas available, and the U.S. government expects to reach this cap in just five days.  Immigration reform can’t come soon enough …

The Streets Are Talkin’

Amazon is expanding its service offerings with “Home Services.”  This service will make it easier for shoppers to reach local service providers (e.g., TaskRabbit, Dish satellite-TV service, etc.).   Also, the Web company recently announced its “Dash Button,” which allows consumers to place orders for essential household items by simply pushing a button. #ThatWasEasy #MaybeTooEasy

As Heidi Klum says, “one day you’re in, next day you’re out.”  And, it looks like Meerkat is out and Periscope (Twitter’s answer to the app) is in.

The Virtual Skinny: Spring Is Springing?

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

3.17.2015

Good to Know:  SxSw is in full swing, and tech companies are naturally making big announcements from Yahoo’s on-demand passwords available only in the U.S. to the premiere of “Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine” documentary.  Too many cool things, we can’t even stand it!  

THE SKINNY.

It’s Finally Here … 

Last week, the Federal Communications Commission released its long awaited Open Internet rules.

Maybe Legal or Maybe Not? 

For weeks, we’ve all known that the 313-page Order would go into detail on three rules – no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization.  In other words, Internet service providers (ISPs) may not block access to lawful, online content or services.  ISPs will also not be able to slow down Internet traffic to certain types of content.  And lastly, ISPs cannot be monetarily compensated to permit faster access to particular types of content, services, and applications.  While we’ve been expecting these rules for several weeks, the Order also raised legal uncertainties that are open to various interpretations.  One particular section under scrutiny is the “just and unreasonable” provision.

Anything You Can Do, We Can Do Better…

Well, now that the Order is out, the Republican led U.S. Congress is set to grill the Commission’s Chairman Tom Wheeler in a number of hearings this week.  Expect questions about how the Order evolved from a hybrid approach to its current state, particularly since the change happened soon after President Obama’s endorsement of Title II.  Congress thinks it can do better on net neutrality rules.  As they say, only time will tell.

What Else Is Going On This Week?

2015 = The Year of Apple?  

Last week, we predicted that April would be an Apple takeover but now this may just extend the full year.  According to media reports, Apple is planning on launching a TV streaming service this September.  The tech company is said to be in talks with Walt Disney and Fox but no so much with NBC given its current rift with Comcast, NBC’s parent company.  This streaming service is likely to drive sales of its hardware products – iPhone, iPad, Apple TV to name a few.

It’s Not All Good News … 

Though Apple Pay debuted with a bang, banks who were once singing its praises are now not so privately complaining about the service.  Banks are complaining about increased fraud rates, but industry experts say it may not be all on Apple Pay but the banks have something to do with it.   The vulnerabilities in the system seem to be happening because Apple Pay’s “onboard” system is kept deliberately simple, requiring basic credit card information.  In turn, the banks chose not to take extra security precautions nor did it require Apple to offer more detailed customer information.

Should I Post This on My FB?

The social network is clarifying its policies on what content it may remove if its deemed too sensitive (e.g., nudity, terrorism, hate speech).  In justifying this clarifications, FB’s Chief Mark Zuckerberg says the company is simply complying with “lawful government orders” to remove certain types of content.  FB also released new data on government requests to remove content, and the numbers in the latter half of 2014 decreased for the earlier part of last year among Western countries.

The Streets Are Talkin’

Are you sick of hearing about all things Apple?  Well, we promise this is that last mention for the week, but rumor has it that the company is working on a car project.  Code name – Titan.

Uber’s Chief Financial Officer Brent Callinicos is stepping down.  Nothing controversial from what we gather.  Callinicos just wants more family time with his wife and kids.

Pinterest just got a huge influx of cash.  The only scrapbooking service is now valued at $11 billion after raising $367 million in its latest round of financing.

The Virtual Skinny: Winning Isn’t Everything … Or Is It?

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

1.13.2015

Good to Know:  In case you haven’t heard, the Golden Globes happened over the weekend.  Of course, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler slayed (check out their zings and cringe-worthy jokes), but online services had a pretty big night.  Kevin Spacey of Netflix’s House of Cards took home the Globe for Best Actor in a TV Series while Jeffrey Tambor nabbed one under the Best TV Comedy category for his role in Amazon’s Transparent.  Amazon’s hit show also went onto win overall Best Comedy Series. Uh … HUGE much?  

THE SKINNY.

Mr. President’s In The Buildin’ … 

Yesterday, President Obama stopped by the Federal Trade Commission to talk privacy and cybersecurity for the nation.  It marked the first time in 80 years since a sitting President had visited the agency.

A Different Type of Tour …

Just don’t call it a comeback!  On Monday, January, Obama began making the rounds on his plan, which include proposals on student data protections, a new consumer privacy baseline, and a federal standards to take the place of the current 50 state by state laws on how companies should handle data breaches.  Then the following day, he took his tour to another agency — the Department of Homeland Security – to talk cybersecurity and information sharing.  Cybersecurity is an increasingly important issue in the wake of the Sony hack’s.

The Big Finale … 

This week’s tour makes for an interesting move, as it’s a sneak peak into the President’s upcoming State of the Union address scheduled for next Tuesday night, January 20.  We’ll keep you posted on how that goes.  Meanwhile, Congress is moving full steam ahead on date breach and cybersecurity legislation.

Did Your Annoying Friend Just Mess with Your Facebook, Again? 

Well, no not really.  But, news recently broke that sympathizers of the Islamic State of Iraq AKA ISIS “hacked” into the U.S. military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) Twitter and YouTube accounts.  With a few tweets posted and some documents leaked (already publicly available), CENTCOM confirmed that their account had been “compromised” and are looking into it.  CENTCOM’s social accounts have since been taken offline.  Consider it sort of handled. Where’s Olivia Pope when you need her? #TGIT #Withdrawals

Whatchu Talkin’ Bout Cameron? 

British Prime Minister David Cameron also gave a speech of his own earlier this week where he alluded to potentially banning services like WhatsApp and SnapChat if they do not provide increased access to the UK government.  More specifically, Cameron wants the UK government to put in a place a framework to intercept all content of Internet-based communications.   This conversation differs drastically from the dialogue in the U.S. where companies, civil society groups, and others are calling for a reform of the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act to require law enforcement to have a search warrant before being able to access users’ information stored online.  As users, we’d rather our information receive increased protection rather than less. #ByeFelicia (Looking at you, PM.)

Using Your Powers for Good …

Unfortunately, when we log onto our Facebook accounts from time to time, a missing child post pops up on our newsfeed. Now, Facebook is making things official by recently annoucing its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Amber Alerts by region to people on the social network.

The Streets Are Talkin’ 

Grocery-Delivery start-up, Instacart has raised $220 million in its latest round of raising funds.  The company is now valued at $2 billion. #Swag Spotify is racking up on its subscribers.  This week, the online music service announced that it’s reached upwards of 15 million paying users out of 60 monthly active users.  #LovesIt Oh and by the way, Amazon just got Woody Allen to direct for and write one of its new series, which will be available via the company’s Prime Instant Video service.

In Other News … 

Jimmy Kimmel continues his “Mean Tweets” series and is back with a College Football edition.  By the way, The Ohio State Buckeyes bested Oregon (42-20).

The Virtual Skinny: Starting Off With A Clean Slate.

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

1.6.2015

Good to Know: Things we’d like to see left in 2014, corporations’ use of the word “bae” – meaning one’s significant other OR someone you want to be in a relationship with – in their social media campaigns.  A fake Twitter account popped up calling out companies for trying to relate to the kids. In other news, this year, we resolve to continue to bring you more on the latest top tech & Internet news.

THE SKINNY.

That Didn’t Take Too Long … 

As promised, right out of the gate this year, we’re hearing that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is planning to vote on final net neutrality rules in February.  The Commission’s next monthly meeting is February 26.

Not So Fast …

Not that this process would suddenly become an easy feat, but Republicans (who are not into classifying broadband as a utility) are considering putting out legislation to address the net neutrality issue to avoid reclassification of broadband services. Republicans see legislation as a way to avoid the likely legal challenges and hoopla that will come with the FCC’s rules as we’ve seen in the past – remember Verizon v. FCC?

It’s All About Timing … 

Republicans will have to until next month to see what the FCC comes up with before it can figure out next steps.  Game ON!

What Else Is Going On This Week?

Viva Las Vegas … 

The Consumer Electronics Association, a tech trade association in Washington D.C., is back in Vegas this week with its annual Consumer Electronics Show – a mega week-long showcase of the latest and greatest technologies.  This year, looks like technologies will be getting smarter, but here are some highlights so far: Dish Network is going up against cable with Sling TV – its new web TV service (and it comes with ESPN); Samsung Electronics is getting into the high-tech sensor business with technology to detect a variety of scents (interesting); oh and Ryan Seacrest made the case for Typo2 – his iPhone keyboard (Seacrest, out).

New Year, New Me … 

You’re not the only one making resolutions this year.  Mark Zuckerberg is feeling the need for a bit of self-improvement as well.  The Zuck is taking a cue from Oprah and is starting his very own book club (check out his “Year of Books” FB page).  His plan is to read two books per month.  First up is Moises Naim’s “The End of Power.”  If you’re interested, you should get your copy pronto as it’s already sold out on Amazon. Happy reading, ya’ll!

Russia, BYE!

Following in the footsteps of other U.S. tech companies, Intel is saying “da sveedaneeya” to Russia.  The company is shutting down its Russian-language developer forums because of the country’s new “Blogger Law.”  According to TechCrunch, this law would impose heavy restrictions on sites with over 3,000 daily readers and also subject these sites to increased monitoring by the Russian government. Additionally, these sites would be held to the same standards as professional journalists and would mandate that sites register with Roskomnadzor, Russia’s version of the FCC. Violations of the law could cost companies anywhere from 10,000 – 30,000 rubles ($285-$855) up to 500,000 rubles ($14,285) per violation presumably.

Pardon the Interruption … 

Twitter was down for a minute. Well, it was more of a delay in users’ Twitter timelines that lasted for about an hour and 40 minutes.  The issue has since been resolved, but this is the second technical outage in the past week.

The Streets Are Talkin’

Facebook just bought Wit.ai, an 18-month-old Palo Alto start-up focused on speech recognition.  For those of you developers already in the Wit.ai community, looks like it’ll still be free and open to all despite the acquisition.

Ever sent a text and then immediately regretted it? Us too! Strings, a new app, wants to spare you the embarrassment by allowing you to permanently delete texts not only from you phone but from whoever’s phone is on the receiving end.  And people can forget about trying to share your texts with others, as the app would require them to seek your permission first before being able to download the content.  Noooice!

Uber tops this year’s Washington Post list of top Internet IPOs for 2015. AirBnb, Pinterest, Spotify, and Xiaomi also made the cut.

The Virtual Skinny: Time to Give Thanks.

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

11.25.2014

Good to Know: Thursday, November 27 is American Thanksgiving.  Of course, there will be a lot of turkey eating that day, but the question is – conventional (factory farmed) or heritage (free-range turkeys – which is popular amongst the foodies type)?  It pays to eat well as heritage turkeys are pricier than their conventional counters.  This year, Americans will eat an estimated 234,000 conventional turkeys compared to 30K-40K heritage. If you want to know more about what you’ll likely be eating this week, check out Bloomberg’s infographic.

THE SKINNY.

Breaking Point?

Google’s legal battles in Europe have reached an all time high.  In the midst of the European Union’s 4-year antitrust investigation into whether the Internet company favors its own services over competitors, the European Parliament announced last Friday that it is considering legislation to split up the company.

Wait… For Real?

Well, technically the European Parliament isn’t authorized to tell antitrust regulators what to do in terms setting policy or influencing their investigations.  However, it still plans to move ahead with a vote on a resolution to break up Google.  The vote is set to go down on Thursday, November 27.

In A Nutshell …

If the Parliament’s resolution turns out the be popular with European politicians, there’s a chance this could put pressure on Margrethe Vestager, Europe’s competition commissioner, to file formal charges against Google.  This would further derail efforts to settle the issue.  Like most things, we’ll have to wait and see.  But in the meantime, Pope Francis spoke to Parliament this week and said that Europe is seen by the world as “somewhat elderly and haggard.” He said it, we didn’t.

What Else is Going On This Week? 

And, the Drama Continues…

Uber’s been having a tough time lately.  First, one of its executives made a highly controversial comment about “digging up dirt” on reporters who aren’t their #1 fans.  Then came allegations of its “God View” internal tool to track a journalist without her permission.  This prompted the company to hire an expert privacy attorney to conduct an internal review of its privacy policies.  Now, Brussels is gearing up to put together a new law to regulate the app.  No word on the details of this legislation, but services like Uber often finds themselves at odds with traditional taxi firms.  Traditional taxis are subject to all sorts of safety requirements, insurance rules, and taxes.  Regulators say that Uber currently doesn’t pay taxes in Brussels so the legislation may aim to address that.  But, Uber says that it follows all applicable tax laws and pays taxes where it plays.  #TheStruggleIsReal

Somethin’ Is Better Than Nothin’… 

Last week, President Obama talked about his plans for an executive order on immigration.  For a while now, technology companies have been asking for changes to the immigration system that would allow more H1-B visas for foreign-born high-skilled workers and making the green card process more efficient, streamlined, and generally faster. While Obama can’t make that happen without Congress, his plan includes efforts such as giving special founder’s visas to foreign entrepreneurs and extend the amount of time someone with a U.S. technical degree has to temporarily work under an “optional training program.”   Some in the technology industry are pleased, but there’s still more work to be done – looking at you, U.S. Congress.

Speaking Of …

In 2013, Spain passed a law to help local businesses attract talented, foreign entrepreneurs.  The visa application is pretty straightforward merely requiring a government-approved business plan, health insurance, and enough funds to live in the country.  In addition to entrepreneurs, the government is also offering to investors who at least $625k in real estate, high skilled workers, and researchers, scientists, teachers, etc.  The new law isn’t without its challenges, especially if you’re a non-Spanish speaker; however, it’s said to be a fast track process with decisions made within 10 and 20 working days depending on the type of application.

The Streets Are Talkin’

The new thing for teens and investors is a new anonymous messaging app called Yik Yak.  It recently raised $62 million.  Unfamiliar with Yik Yak? Here are some “gems” to get familiar how it’s being used.

Rakuten, the Japanese e-commerce company, is looking to expand its reach, and it’s investing into a Singapore-based mobile ad tech company called PocketMatch.

Sony is not into its TV and mobile products. The company will be cutting these product lines to cut costs and is re-focusing on its PlayStation 4 and image sensor portfolio over the next three years.

The Virtual Skinny: Brrr, It’s Cold Out There!

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

11.18.2014

Good to Know:  Ever had trouble finding a parking spot in a major city?  Luxe Valet, a new app offering on-demand valet parking service, is about to change your life.  How does it work?  Simply turn on the app, input your destination and be on your way.  Once you arrive at your destination, a Luxe valet will greet you (by name). The valet does all the work while you go about your business.  Ready to leave? Just hit the app to get your car back.  All of this for just $5/hour and $15 daily. Luxe is set to launch in the LA area soon but could be coming to a city near you.  We can’t wait! 

THE SKINNY.

There’s No “I” in Team But There’s A “Me”…

According to media reports, President Obama is planning to take executive action on immigration this week. His plan is expected to permit 5 million immigrants to change their undocumented status from illegal to legal by granting them work permits.

Changing Times… 

For a few years now, President Obama has consistently stayed away from taking executive action on immigration reform but has looked to Congress to pass comprehensive legislation for a much-needed overhaul of the current system.  Though the Senate passed a bipartisan comprehensive bill last year, efforts stalled in the House.  And with Republicans set to take control of both the Senate and the House next year, things may become increasingly difficult. Though President Obama previously stated that acting by his lonesome on this issue would be “very difficult to defend legally,” he now believes that it would be “legally unassailable.”   In other words, he’s ready to get things done.

What About Me? 

The tech industry has been lobbying hard for the U.S. government to make more H1-B  visas (or high-skilled worker visas) available in order to increase America’s competitiveness.  After all, immigrants founded some of the tech and Internet companies we know and love today (i.e., Google and Yahoo).  But, there’s only so much the President can do.  While there are no specific details on the plan, it’ll likely only make small changes to address this specific issue. Congress will have to act to bring about any major changes.

What Else is Going On This Week?

Back In the News… 

Spotify is making the media rounds again, but this time it’s much less controversial and doesn’t involve Taylor Swift. Uber announced this week that it’s teaming up with the online music service just to make you feel more at home while in an Uber car.  From what we hear, once you jump into an Uber, you’ll be able to listen to your Spotify music playlist. No word yet on how this will work technically.

Can We Talk?

Telecom companies and Google are talking but haven’t quite yet defined their relationship.  Google’s Project Loon aims to bring Internet access to rural, less populated areas via balloons suspended at about 65,000 feet.  The Internet company is already partnering with Australia’s largest telecom provider Telstra to test these balloons in Western Queensland.  While Google is optimistic about potential collabos to bridge the gap between telcos and rural populations, telecom analysts think that the telcos are a bit more skeptical.  Analysts say telcos fear that Google could turn into a potential competitor.  Keep you friends close and your enemies closer.

I Got My Mind on My Money, and My Money on My Mind Phone …

Since Apple launched Apple Pay, there’s been a lot of chatter about the future of mobile payments.  And, with its recent plans to work with UnionPay and AliPay (both Chinese payment systems), Apple intends to keep the chatter going.  This week, Apple announced that its working to allow consumers to link their Apple ID to their UnionPay accounts. This move makes it easier for Chinese consumers to purchase Apple’s apps.  As Oprah would say during the holiday season, you’re ALL getting AH-AHPPSSSS … You get an app, and You get an app … In other mobile payment news, Snapchat is working with Square on a new payment feature called SnapCash. This new feature will allow SnapChat users to quickly message funds to each other.

The Streets Are Talkin’

Did you get my Facebook ping? Facebooking at work may soon be safe.  The social network is reportedly gearing up to offer its services at work via “Facebook@Work.”  This new service will allow people to group chat at work but also work jointly on projects and documents.

You’ve been summoned. And by “you,” we mean Twitter and Facebook.  According to reports, Russia is requesting to meet with the Internet companies to discuss the country’s new laws basically requiring government registries for bloggers and also that Internet data about Russian residents be kept within the country’s borders.

Alibaba keeps making moves. The Chinese e-commerce company now wants to get into the movie making business with Hollywood. It has plans to be a major player in the content distribution business.  Bloomberg says the company wants to do so “by using customer shopping and viewing data” to predict what movies will be successful in the Chinese market.

Things That Break The Internet …

The verdict is still out on whether Kim Kardashian’s highly controversial, NSFW Paper Magazine pics actually broke the Internet, but it’s safe to say that LifeTime’s Aaliyah biopic and Solange’s recent wedding are definitely this week’s hot topics.

Note to LifeTime: Next time, maybe consider better casting choices – or not.  We did enjoy these HI-LARIOUS #LifeTimeBeLike memes. #WeCant #StopIt

And Solange, keep doing what you’re doing because your wedding jumper and cape and pretty much everything else about your wedding was perfection!

The Virtual Skinny: We’ve Been Gone For A Minute, But Now We’re Back …

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

10.28.2014

Where Have You Been? No, we have not been hiding from you.  After a short hiatus, we're 
excited and happy to announce that we're back in business! We continue to appreciate your 
support as we keep you posted on the top tech and Internet news-related stories to watch 
for the week.  Cheers! 

THE SKINNY.

Your Money’s No Good Here.

Yesterday, CVS and Rite Aid made a bold move and announced that they won’t be accepting Apple Pay – the tech company’s new mobile payment service.

Keepin’ It In the Family.

Though CVS and Rite Aid haven’t commented on their decision, turns out that Walmart, Best Buy, and about 50 other retail chains are developing their own in-house, rival systems. Interesting …

Never Let ‘Em See You Sweat.

In the first few days of Apple Pay’s existence, Apple saw more than a million credit cards registered.  Apple CEO Tim Cook says Apple Pay offers better privacy and security than other services. Cook also said, “Merchants have different objectives sometimes. But in the long arc of time, you only are relevant as a retailer or merchant if your customers love you.” #NoShadeButShade

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON THIS WEEK?

Back to the Future …

Back in August, Taylor Swift announced to the world that she’d be releasing a new album via a live stream on Yahoo .  ICYMI – pop is in, and country is out. Then, just last week, a portion of her already critically acclaimed album, 1989, leaked online. But, yesterday marked the official launch of her album. She teamed up with iHeartRadio for a secret session live streamed on Yahoo to celebrate with some of her closest fans on a NYC rooftop.  Needless to say, the Internet is freaking out. We’re calling it now, record sales by the end of this week! In the meantime, we’ll see how T-Swift continues to leverage online platforms.

It’s All About the Numbers…

The good news is Twitter’s users via mobile is growing, and it’s revenue outperformed projected estimates.   And now for the bad –  Twitter didn’t attract quite as many new users in the third quarter and existing users aren’t engaging with the service as much.  This means a lot on Wall Street.  The social media platform’s shares fell by 11% – losing about $3 billion in market value.  CEO Dick Costolo isn’t discouraged and says the company will continue to reach its ““aspirational goal to build the largest daily audience in the world.” Looks like continued innovation is key.

Facebook Takes on Journalism…

With about 1.3 billion people across the globe signing into the social network at least monthly, Facebook is looking to tap into the journalism and change how people consume news. Even the Washington Post’s Senior Editor for Digital News admits that people will no longer be going to his paper’s website directly but will instead opt for “search and social.”

The Streets Are Talkin’

Content is king, and Amazon knows it.  The e-commerce company just expand its digital content by purchasing online comedy service Rooftop.

YouTube is considering a paid subscription for those of us that want to skip the ads. This new approach being led by Google vet Susan Wojcicki, and the online platform is actively searching for potential content partners for this service.

Rumor has it that Roku streaming player is eyeing an initial public offering aka as an IPO.

You Should Know That…

This Friday is Halloween! We hope you enjoy the festivities and put in a little work to come up with a creative costume.  But, please do try to avoid costumes likes these.  You’re welcome!

The Virtual Skinny: Half Way There

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

7.24.2014

GOOD TO KNOW:  Pictures of cats are popular on the Interwebs, but they can also reveal interesting things about the location of the people who post them. 

THE SKINNY.

WHAT NOT TO DO FOR CONCERT TICKETS.

Joining an international cybercrime ring to defraud eBay’s online ticketing service, StubHub, is definitely not the way to go.

LEARN FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE.

Yesterday, seven people all based in different parts of the world including New York, New Jersey, Barcelona, London, and Toronto in connection with this group that stole credit and debit card numbers to purchase tickets to a number of high profile events like the JT and Jay-Z concert, a Yankees baseball game, and a Broadway play before reselling them to net profits. They dispersed these profits through PayPal accounts and British and German bank accounts. Six of the seven were indicted in New York yesterday.

WHAT’S THE CHARGE?

In the NY State Supreme Court, the six were charged with a slew of crimes including money laundering, grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and identity theft.

TEAM WORK, MAKES THE DREAM WORK. 

In a rare showing of international cooperation, StubHub, Manhattan’s D.A.’s office, and other authorities worked closely with law enforcement around the globe for about a year. This coalition relied on I.P. addresses, and the PayPal and bank accounts to track down the individuals and successfully complete the second largest crime bust in the last year.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

YOU SHOULD NEVER SETTLE.

The European Union’s competition commissioner, Joaquín Almunia, is feeling some pressure to either delay or get rid of certain parts of its antitrust settlement with Google. Alumnia previously proposed a settlement to address anitrust complaints against the Internet company for favoring its services over its competitors in search results. Online review companies involved believe the settlement could be stronger and want the commissioner to at least require Google to use their results to power the company’s specialized search products when appropriate. Almunia is expected to reach final decision on this case this fall in September.

ALL IT DOES IS WIN, WIN, WIN … 

Facebook basically killed it in the second quarter on Wall Street.  According to reports, the social media company saw significant revenue growth all thanks to ads shown to users who accessed its service via their mobile devices.  We recently told you that FB just closed its deal with Oculus, and it also successfully purchased WhatsApp, a popular text messaging app, before that.  Now, the Zuck wants us to turn to the book of faces to search for content.  This plan will roll out over the next six month and will likely prompt us to spend even more time on the platform.  By the way, according to the company, you’re already spending about 41 minutes on FB daily (more than the time we spend exercising). Awesome.

 

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

 

LinkedIn just bought tech ad and measurements company Bizo for $175 million.  As soon as the deal closes in the third quarter, marketers can tap into Bizo’s resources, which will allow them to better target professionals with ads and measure the effectiveness of their ad campaigns.

Twitter is joining the ranks of Google and Facebook by revealing its also lacking in the diversity department. About 60% of its employees say they are white and about 70% identify as male. Unsurprisingly, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, and black people are the most underrepresented.