Virtual Skinny: ClickBait…

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on August 8, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

8.8.2016

Good to Know: It’s #InternationalCatDay. BTW, over the weekend, the hashtag #FirstSevenJobs was trending thanks to @mariancall. People shared their first seven jobs. Did you? If not, it’s not too late! Take a min, reflect a little, and tweet at us (@virtual_skinny)!

THE SKINNY

When You’re Just Looking Out (For clickbait)…

Facebook doesn’t want its users to deal with ‘clickbait’ articles in your newsfeed.

When You Need To Use It In A Sentence …

Clickbait aka articles with headlines that leave you feeling misled, tricked, or underwhelmed after clicking the link (e.g., Headline: You won’t believe what XYZ celeb did! The Actual Content: [Insert uninteresting, mundane activity like a grocery story run].

When They’ve Heard You Loud & Clear …

Facebook users aren’t amused and complain about these annoying clickbait articles. So, FB decided to put some brainpower behind solving the problem. FB employees have narrowed down types of click bait into two groups. Category 1: ‘Curiosity gap headlines’ (see example above) and Category 2: Flat out misleading headlines.

When You’ve Found A Solution …

FB’s changed up its algorithm so that publishers who dabble with the worst type of clickbait just simply won’t reach the number of FB users they’d like. But no need to go to basic, boring, and bulky headlines just yet. FB’s only going after the worst offenders.

When Others Chime in…

Last night, John Oliver dug deep into journalism and even talked ‘clickbait’ and what that means for the future of journalism.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Didn’t They Tell You That I Was a Savage?

In case you haven’t heard, Instagram hit ‘copy and paste’ on Snapchat’s Stories. That’s right … Insta pulled a boss move and copied Snapchat’s Stories feature. The basic concept is that you can post pics at the top of your newsfeed, but it’ll “disappear” after a day. Insta’s version is called ‘Instagram Stories.’ #ShockerButNotReally Turns out people seem to like it better. And business wise, Snapchat should be worried. Instagram’s got a larger audience (its 350 million daily users v. Snapchat’s 150 million users) and possibly better tools. Uh Oh!

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN

E-commerce site Jet.com tried to take on e-commerce giant Amazon. But, it didn’t work. Walmart stepped in and paid $3 billion in cash money for Jet.com. Now, it’s back to the Wal-Mart v. Amazon matchup. Advantage, Walmart?

Back on! Online fantasy sports sites FanDuel and DraftKings can now legally operate again in New York. But, there’s a catch. NY Governor Andrew Cuomo says the sites’ contests are now considered a “game of skill,” which basically means NY regulators will be watching. And, the sites will have to pay new fees.

Google is off to the races in India. The company’s winning the emerging market (ahead of Facebook and Microsoft) with its free Wi-Fi program, and that’s major! #NextBillion

Yahoo’s going through things right now. But, it’s still got its eye on the prize. It’s launching Yahoo View, a TV watching site, with the help of Hulu.

In more TV watching news, Comcast, Time Warner, Disney, etc. have all poured money into online companies to reach younger audiences. But not Viacom. The company hasn’t gone down the digital investments road yet. Rumor has it that Viacom has its eye on BuzzFeed. Unlikely, but anything’s possible…

Speaking of not making investments, Chinese Internet giant Alibaba has no plans to get involved with U.S. streaming service Netflix.

MAKING MOVES

Twitter just lost a member of its Comms team. Jim Prosser is heading over to marketplace lending company SoFi.

Everyone’s trying to be a tech company, including healthcare and consumer goods company Johnson & Johnson. J&J is kicking of its new tech business with the help of former Dropbox exec Marc Leibowitz.

After almost 8 years on Google’s self-driving car projects, Chris Urmson is peacing on account of he’s ‘ready for a fresh new challenge.’

And now that Verizon is buying Yahoo, the Internet company’s VP of global PR & Communications Anne Espiritu is ready to dip. She’s going the startup route and is joining health-care company Oscar Insurance Corp.

Virtual Skinny: Get the News While Well-Rested…

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on February 16, 2016 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter 0 Comment

2.16.2016

Good to Know: Make sure not to change the date on your iPhone to January 1, 1970. Unless of course, you want to destroy it. You’re welcome!

THE SKINNY

Beep, Beep …

Unlike in Europe, carpooling hasn’t really been a thing in the U.S. But, could that be changing?

Not Feeling It …

Americans aren’t into sharing a car ride with others. Only about 10% of U.S. commuters are doing it these days. One reason? Gas is cheaper in the U.S. than in other area. Oh, and no one in the U.S. has managed to come up with a bomb app to get people into carpooling.

Trying to Make ‘CarPooling’ Happen …

New startup Scoop wants to be the go-to app for carpooling. It’s launched in San Francisco (for now) and is working with companies in the Bay Area whose employees aren’t close to public transit access. The idea is that these apps can take out the uncertainty with carpooling by taking care of the logistics planning and money transactions in advance. Unclear whether Scoop can help turn American attitudes around about carpooling especially since oil prices are at an all time low.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

When Your Current Mood is Damage Control …

Fantasy sports websites FanDuel and DraftKings are still reeling from the alleged insider trading scandal that happened last year. After the media frenzy followed by the companies’ fallout with states like Nevada and New York, some companies that process payments for the sites decided it was time to go their separate ways. T o stop the bleeding, both companies are leading the charge at the Fantasy Sports Association to influence state lawmakers across the country. The group is unleashing an army of lobbyists to push states to pass laws that in part protect fantasy-sports operators. #FullCourtPress

When You’re Trying to Drum Up Support …

Nigeria’s economy is going through it right now. The country’s government put out some new monetary policies to try to save face, but these policies aren’t working as planned. Foreign reserves are depleting, and the government is look for ways to turn things around. So, the government is now turning to Twitter to encourage Nigerian citizens to do their part. The idea is that if Nigerians buy locally, then that’ll help restore some value in its currency (the Naira) and also help boost the economy. Some people are all for it while others say that local options need to be just as quality as foreign imports. Also, there’s chatter about how Nigeria needs to look beyond the social media campaign and make the country more business-friendly. #BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Apple Inc. is getting into original content. Who knew that it’s first foray into content was Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ music video? The company apparently had a role in its production and shelled out some cash to release the video via its streaming service. Up next? Its first original TV show with Dr. Dre.

If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again. And, that’s exactly what Google did with Project Loon, its attempt to use balloons to bring wi-fi to remote areas. The company is planning a test run in Indonesia.

Making moves … Twitter’s former News Manager Mark S. Luckie is headed over to Reddit as its first-ever head of journalism and media.

The Virtual Skinny: Keep It Short…

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on November 24, 2015 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

11.24.2015

Good to Know: The holidays can be stressful. Turns out getting on social media may only make things worse.

THE SKINNY

Adding Fuel to the Fire …

U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) are throwing in a bill of their own to heat up the U.S. immigration reform debate. It’s called the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2015. Grassley and Durbin want American employers to focus on hiring U.S. citizens first and forget about outsourcing certain jobs. Houston, we have a problem.

Back it up …

Quick background: This isn’t exactly what tech and Internet companies had in mind for immigration reform. These companies want the ability to bring in more foreign-born high-skilled workers like engineers to keep their businesses competitive. After all, there’s been talk about the U.S.’s shortage of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) workers. So, tech and Internet companies often have to look elsewhere to bring in talent.

What Do You Want From Me?

These companies want to up the available number of H-1B visas, which are work visas for foreign, high-skilled professionals. The demand for these visas is currently so high that the U.S. government resorts to a lottery system for H-1B applicants. In other words, qualifications don’t matter, it all comes down to luck. Groups like FWD.us, backed by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are pushing for “common sense” immigration proposals that focus on high-skilled immigration and immigrant rights.

Taking the Good with the Bad …

The bill wants to limit job outsourcing by targeting companies such as Indian outsourcing firms. But, it also has some redeeming points for the broader tech industry. For one, the legislation would make it easier for H-1B employees to switch employers without fear of losing their visa status. Win! The bill will likely go nowhere, but it’s putting immigration back on the map. With an election year coming up in the U.S. and campaigns moving full steam ahead, expect more immigration chatter.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Is IT OR ISN’T IT?

Sports fantasy sites FanDuel and DraftKings will finally get their day in the New York Supreme Court tomorrow. On the agenda? Whether FanDuel and DraftKings’ services qualify as gambling. Since the alleged insider trading involving a DraftKings’ employee a couple of months back, the federal government and states have been on the companies’ backs. Tomorrow’s hearing is key because whatever comes out of New York on this issue could influence how other states deal with FanDuel, DraftKings, and other fantasy sports sites.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Social media company Facebook is in the business of giving away free Internet access. The company’s Internet.org initiative offers basic Internet access to emerging markets via a program called Free Basics. India’s got next.

Microsoft (MSFT) put out a report on the company’s diversity numbers. Slight improvement in racial and ethnic diversity within the company but not so much for gender diversity. The percentage of women at MSFT dipped 7.6% in the past year.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos tweeted for the first time. His side hustle, Blue Origin, successfully landed a rocket ship. Definitely tweet-worthy if you ask us.

Apple’s mobile payment and digital wallet service Apple Pay will be in China by February 2016. Chinese services like WePay and AliPay are already dominating the market. We’ll see if Apple Pay even stands a chance.

Lady Gaga’s ex manager Troy Carter helped her to stardom. Now, Carter wants in on tech talent. He’s launched an LA-based incubator called Smashd Labs.

The Virtual Skinny: Deep Breaths

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on November 11, 2015 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

11.11.2015

Good to Know: Remember the floppy disk? Who knew those things along with a few other old school technologies are still around?

THE SKINNY

An Ongoing Battle …

Yesterday, New York Attorney General (AG) Eric Schneiderman told fantasy sports sites FanDuel and DraftKings “not in my house.” *Finger wag* Schneiderman fired off cease and desist letters to each company telling them to stop doing business in the state … or else.

Why?

If you’ll remember, we previously told you about the alleged insider trading scandal involving one of DraftKing’s employees. The issue comes down to whether these sites under federal law are illegal online gambling sites. FanDuel and DraftKings says that the law classifies them as a “game of skill and not chance” making their biz legit. Schneiderman disagrees and had some strong words for the sites. He says they are “evad[ing] the law and “fleec[ing] sports fans. ” He won’t let it go down like that on his watch.

What’s Next?

A few weeks back, Nevada banned the sites from operating within the state without official licenses. Other states like Arizona, Montana, and Iowa flat out rejected the sites all together. Now that NY is jumping on the bandwagon, this could compromise the sites’ business in a major way. Both companies have five days to officially respond to Schneiderman’s letters. In the meantime, they’ve made statements dismissing the NY AG’s actions as just a politician trying to drum up trouble where it doesn’t exist. Even if the companies get over this bump in the road, they’ve still got the attention of the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Making Good On Your Promise …

After former venture capitalist Ellen Pao wrapped up her gender discrimination case against ex-employer Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, she vowed to keep talking about the issue and its existence within the tech industry. Pao penned a column for The Lenny Letter, a newsletter run by actress Lena Dunham and Dunham’s business partner Jenni Konner. Pao explains her side of the story and responds to all the haters. She claims that tech talked about gender bias and harassment but didn’t actually do anything to address the issue. Pao plans to keep talking about gender discrimination and wants you to join her as well.

wHEN sOMETHINGS ARE JUST NOT WORTH IT …

They say cheaters never win. U.S. federal prosecutors just explained details of what it says is “the largest hacking case ever.” The case involves a multiyear effort where hackers stole information on 100 million customers from 12 companies and financial institutions including JP Morgan Chase to use and profit off of shady activities like stock manipulation, online gambling, and fraud. Prosecutors charged three men (two Israeli and one American) with 23 counts of fraud and other illegal activities. These hackers definitely did not keep things simple. They laundered money through 75 shell companies and used 30 false passports from 17 different countries to pull the job off for eight years.

All Signs Point To ….

For what seems like forever, people have been talking about the high valuation trend for tech companies coming to an end. Now, Fidelity is adding more fuel to the fire. The mutual fund company and investor in Snapchat just marked down its investment in the app company by 25 percent. No word on why though.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

U.S. wireless carrier T-Mobile wants its users to get their binge-watching on. The company is now offering “BingeOn,” which means it’ll let customers stream their preferred shows via Netflix, HBOGO, etc. without applying any data caps.

No more worrying about getting lost when you’re sans Internet connection. Google Maps’ new offline feature will be there to help you reach your destination.

Apple Music is now available for Android operating systems. The service pretty much works the same way it does for iOS. Just one thing – playing music videos isn’t a thing on Droids yet.

Amazon Prime Now’s food delivery service from your local eatery or grocer is heading to Los Angeles then expanding to Portland. Still waiting on when it plans to go country-wide in the U.S.

San Francisco based hotel booking app, HotelTonight, just let go off 20% of its staff. CEO Sam Shank (what a name!) said it was a hard decision but now the company’s lean and focused.

Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba deemed November 11 as “Singles Day,” originally intended to celebrate all the single people out there. Six years later, it’s now basically China’s version of Cyber Monday. The company has brought in sales already exceeding last year’s $9.3 billion total.

The Virtual Skinny: Wakey, Wakey!

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on October 15, 2015 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

10.15.2015

Good to Know: Restaurateur Danny Meyer wants to get rid of tipping in the U.S.

THE SKINNY

When You Actually Just Don’t Have Time …

Twitter’s Co-Founder and two-time CEO Jack Dorsey is about his business (or two). Dorsey just put the world on notice that he’s going public with his other company, Square – maker of … well, those small white plastic “squares” often plugged into smartphones when people want you to pay them what you owe them.

When People Are Giving Major Side Eye …

Ok, so two things: (1) Square isn’t profitable just yet – its revenues totaled $560 million the first half of this year and losses during the same time came out to about $78 million (apparently, not great). (2) This isn’t exactly prime time for tech-related initial public offerings (IPOs) because investors seem a little over it (only 22 tech IPOs happened this 3rd quarter compared to 53 same time last year), and other companies like Chinese Internet company Alibaba have been struggling with stock prices. If you want in, Square’s stock price may start out at $18.56 per share (at the very least).

**i’ve got this…**

Moving forward, Square wants out of its less than profitable deal with Starbucks. Also, the company is pretty open about the fact that Dorsey will sporadically be forced to play favorites and give his other responsibilities (aka Twitter) more love. But, he still controls an impressive 24.4% of Square so he can’t be too neglectful. Square’s leader wants to empower your local business to accept any type of payment – cash, cards, bitcoin, etc. He also plans to commit 10% of the entire company to help artists, musicians, and local businesses in underserved areas through the Start Small Foundation. This guy!

What Else Is Going On?

Sometimes, It’s Good To Be Bad …

Internet companies want hackers to use their skills for good, not evil. Protecting and securing your online information is a major issue that companies (not just Internet companies) want to figure out, especially after big names like Sony Pictures, Target, Home Depot, and T-Mobile via credit agency Experian took some major hits thanks to hackers. This crafty group has even created a black market where bad guys and even governments pay top dollar for not yet widely known flaws in systems. But, companies like Facebook, Yahoo, PayPal, etc. are luring hackers from the dark side with monetary rewards for those who can spot vulnerabilities in a company’s system before it’s forced to say “Code Red” due to a breach. There’s also Google’s Project Zero, which is made up of top-notch hackers to uncover bugs in Google’s system and across the entire InterWebs.

It’s Complicated …

Earlier this year, Taylor Swift rocked the music industry when she removed her entire catalog of work from streaming service Spotify. She made very public statements about how online music services like Spotify aren’t fairly compensating artists for their work. These days, it’s Tay Tay’s world, and we’re all just living in it (No hate. No shade). Naturally, people listened. Other artists like Aloe Blacc (you know him for the “Wake Me Up” song) backed her up and even made visits to U.S. Members of Congress to air his grievances. Turns out Spotify shouldn’t be blamed. The real culprit? America’s music licensing system: It’s a hot mess. Basically, many people can own different parts to a song. When a song is uploaded to a streaming service, information about who owns what isn’t included. That makes it very hard for services like Spotify to determine who is owed what. These services end up paying the record labels to settle the score, but the money doesn’t always trickle down to the artists. Ok, that’s enough …

TOLD YOU SO …

Are you into fantasy sports websites? Did you recently get a call from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)? If you answered “yes” to both, then you’re likely a DraftKings customer. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are getting involved in fantasy sports sites FanDuel and DraftKings’ alleged insider trading drama. DOJ is putting in calls to DraftKings’ users to ask about their experience with the service. The agency wants to figure out whether fantasy sports sites are legit or just unregulated gambling.

The Streets Are Talkin’

Thanks to new chip-enabled credit cards in the U.S., Netflix says it on boarded less than a million new subscribers – way below its anticipated numbers – in the third quarter. Something about the switch to new cards caused “involuntary churn” since the old cards on file no longer worked. Analysts aren’t buying it. That’s Netflix’s story, and it’s sticking to it. On the upside, Netflix wants to be “edgy” and is stepping up its documentary game. We also hear its film Beast of Nations is Oscar-worthy.

In the midst of layoffs this week, Twitter brought on former Googler Omid Kordestani to join the team as its Executive Chairman. Kordestani tweeted about his excitement..

Must be something in the water. LivingSocial just handed 200 employees pink slips. Daily deals are no longer working out for the company so it’s moving towards more “experience-based services” (e.g., haircuts, massages, etc.).

Who knew Amazon had a travel marketplace called Amazon Destinations? Probably explains why the company shut it down with a quickness after only six months.

LinkedIn is changing up company referrals. The professional network just released a new product appropriately named “Referrals” to make it easier for your connections to refer you for that open position at their companies.

Female executives at GoDaddy make 4 percent less than male execs according to the company in its newly released diversity report.

Did someone say diversity? AirBnB promises to hire someone (a “Head of Diversity”) to help the company do better.

The Virtual Skinny: Hello, Weekend!

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on October 9, 2015 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

10.9.2015

Good to Know: It’s a long weekend (note: in the U.S., Oct.12 is Columbus Day). No worries … We’ll be back on Tuesday, October 13!

THE SKINNY

Pointing Fingers …

Someone hacked Uber’s system, and the ride-hailing app thinks Lyft (its U.S. nemesis) did it.

You’d Better Be Able to Back It Up …

Someone accessed Uber’s system and downloaded up to 50,000 drivers’ names and license numbers. Uber admits this probably all went down because an employee inadvertently made a security key code publicly available by posting it to GitHub, a website programmers use to trade code. Thanks to a Comcast IP address, Uber thinks Lyft’s Chief Technology Officer Chris Lambert is their Public Enemy #1. The company can’t be too sure since the person’s identity is unknown.

Ok? Now What?

Uber won’t stop until it gets to the bottom of this. Since it can’t identify the person, the company filed a “John Doe” lawsuit and got Comcast involved. Uber convinced a federal judge to order Comcast to turn over records on the mystery subscriber. Attorneys for the subscriber are appealing the decision to avoid any potential “embarrassment and reputational harm” that could result from a reveal. Based on GitHub’s records, Uber’s targets could be any of four groups, including the Comcast IP address. Investigators think the Comcast subscriber has a history of trying to scrape Uber’s website for driver data and also believe that other databases show that the IP address links to Lambert. Lyft’s spokesperson said “no way, Jose” because Uber has no real evidence.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Onwards and Upwards …

Despite its legal drama with Uber, Lyft is making some important business moves. The company is partnering with Hertz Global Holdings to rent SUVs out to potential Lyft drivers. Stats show that over 60 million people over 25 years old in the U.S. don’t own a car. So, car rentals may be the answer to get more drivers into Lyft’s network. The Lyft-Hertz agreement includes discounted rates for Lyft drivers. Here’s the rental price breakdown: a standard SUV – $25/day, $150/week or $540/month; a premium SUV -$65/day, $390/week and $1,400/ month. And in other good news for Lyft drivers, the company is launching its Express Pay service next month, which means same day payments for drivers.

Had I kNOWN …

Earlier this week, we learned that fantasy sports websites FanDuel, Inc. and DraftKings, Inc. went into full on damage control after getting some unwanted attention, particularly from the New York State Attorney General, after news broke of potential insider trading by one of DraftKings’ employees. Both companies banned their employees from competing in their daily contests for money and also brought in seasoned legal teams to get their houses in order. But, as they say, things will get worse before they get better. Fantasy football player Adam Johnson who frequents both websites just filed a class action lawsuit against FanDuel and DraftKings. Johnson says he put 100 bucks into his DraftKings account but wouldn’t have done so had he known that a company employee may not have been playing fair. The damages Johnson is seeking have yet to be determined.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Uber is in a fighting mood. São Paulo’s Mayor Fernando Haddad banned the service in his city recently but later came up with a proposal that would allow Uber to operate legally. The proposal involves things like Uber admitting that it’s a “black taxi,” all Uber cars must painted black, and cars must be less than 5 years old. Not to mention, fees would apply. Uber said no thanks since it’s not a taxi service.

Price goin’ up! Netflix’s new users will be on the hook for a dollar more in fees. The streaming service’s price just went up to $10. No need to worry existing customers, your monthly fee will remain the same — for now.

Payment company Stripe just brought on Will Gaybrick as its new Chief Financial Officer. Gaybrick was previously an investor and software engineer with a law degree. Stay in school, kids.

Pinterest engineer Makinde Adeagbo wants to do his part to solve tech’s diversity problem. He just founded a non-profit to help connect black engineers with the resources needed to jumpstart their careers.

Next time you’re at your local KFC, Starbucks, Chili’s or Best Busy just know that using Apple Pay is an option.

Facebook’s David Marcus says messaging is the wave of the future. Given how well things are going in Asia with other messaging apps, we could see FB Messenger grow into a full-blown business complete with peer-to-peer payments and the ability to connect directly with businesses.

The Virtual Skinny: Forget Me Not

Posted by The Virtual Skinny on October 7, 2015 in Internet & Tech, Newsletter

10.7.2015

Good to Know: Dorothy was right. There really is no place like home. Ex-NSA contractor turned whistleblower Edward Snowden is prepared to return to the good ole U-S of A to do some prison time. Snowden says he’s made this clear to the U.S. federal government and is still waiting on a response.

THE SKINNY

put me in, coach!

This week’s alleged insider trading scandal involving fantasy sports websites FanDuel, Inc. and DraftKings, Inc. has caught the New York State Attorney General’s (AG) attention, and he wants to know what the deal is with these companies’ employees.

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too …

At least one employee, DraftKings’ Ethan Haskell, missed the memo that you can’t do that. Haskell said he messed up recently when he prematurely released internal data regarding NFL games. This would’ve probably been cool except we later found out that he made $350K that same week when he placed a bet on competitor site FanDuel. Now, people want to know whether it’s fair to allow employees to participate in competitors’ services given what they know from their day jobs. Both companies denied any wrongdoing, but the NY State AG sent a letter to both companies saying that this episode has “raised[d] legal questions [of] fairness, transparency, and security.” The AG is requesting information on company employees (including Haskell) and wants answers by October 15.

Things Are About To Get Real …

Online fantasy sports is a multi-billion dollar industry that has managed to fly under the radar and avoid regulation unlike online poker. But, many people are starting to think that this is no bueno. Industry pros, who have made millions playing fantasy, think that the industry would benefit from oversight and just better industry practices. One pro Corey Albertson says companies should focus on hiring professional people who simply want to offer quality service rather than betting on games themselves (#ShadyShade). U.S. Capitol Hill is watching, and some Members of Congress are outraged. New Jersey’s Senator Bob Menendez even wants the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to launch its own investigation. Meanwhile, professional sports leagues and individual teams are watching how things unfold.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Going local…

European privacy advocates are happy. U.S. companies, on the other hand, not so much. Remember the European Court of Justice decision, we told you about? No? Here’s a quick reminder. Companies, particularly those offering cloud based services like Amazon and Google, are shelling out money to build more data centers located in Europe. But, this will likely pay off in the long run as having more local operations could help avoid legal trouble down the road.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Microsoft announced its first ever laptop called the Surface Book. We’re talking 13.5-inch display complete with 6 million pixels and a 5-point multi-touch “precision” glass trackpad. Who’s buying?

Pandora and ticket vendor for small-scale music venues Ticketfly just finished a $450 million deal.

Reddit’s expanding with a new standalone service – a news site called UpVoted. The site will feature original stuff from its editorial team.