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The Virtual Skinny: It’s Enough Now …

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

12.3.2015

Good to Know: Most of you will likely get new devices as holiday presents this year. Not sure what to do with your old ones? Amazon, Gazelle, and Best Buy have stellar recycling or trade-in programs in the U.S. 

THE SKINNY

Something Becoming Routine Isn’t Always A Good Thing…  

In fact, it can be a very bad thing. Yesterday, a horrible mass shooting took place in San Bernadino, California and claimed the lives of 14 innocent people. Per usual, U.S. politicians immediately took to Twitter to send their “thoughts and prayers.” It didn’t go over well with the American public. 

aN uNEXPECTED RESPONSE … 

The hashtag #thoughtsandprayers started trending on Twitter but not in the way you think. Americans tweeted their frustrations with the U.S. Congress’s inaction on gun control. Their message: Simply tweeting about “thoughts and prayer” won’t change anything.  The controversial front page of today’s NY Daily News pretty much sums it up.

Speak Up or DO SOMETHING

This latest tragedy is just another example of the increasing role Internet and tech companies are playing to either help force difficult political debates or help take action against domestic and global terrorists.  For instance, earlier today, five tech companies including Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Google, and Microsoft told France that they would “define and establish an offensive strategy of counter-discourse that will specifically target the online activities” of terrorist group ISIS.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?

Break Me Off A Piece of that…

If Yahoo’s board decides to sell the company’s Web business, it looks like almost everyone and their Moms want a piece of the action.  Potential buyers range from private equity firms to media and telecom companies like Verizon Communications (they bought AOL earlier this year), Time Inc., and even News Corp. (owner of Wall Street Journal).  Not everyone’s jumping on the Yahoo bandwagon.  Chinese Internet company Alibaba is not interested.  Decisions should be made by the time the company’s marathon board meeting ends tomorrow.  The suspense!

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’ 

German banking startup Number26 is going after Europeans with aversions to traditional banking. It’s expanding across Europe to service countries like France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Slovakia and Spain.

When a potentially better product is on your heels, you have to act quick! Global bank Goldman Sachs is creating its own version of “bitcoin” or virtual currency called SETLCoin. Trading securities and settling those trades may just get a bit easier and faster.

Spotify is world’s the #1 music streaming service, but Pandora isn’t going out like that. Pandora’s pretty popular in the U.S., but it’s putting in work to compete in a very competitive market. New strategy: Attack the Spotify-types’ “free” music model. Record labels are listening, but that message probably won’t go over well with consumers.

YouTube is forming closer ties with Hollywood. The online platform is wheeling and dealing (in a good way) to get rights for TV shows and movies to stream via its new YouTube Red Service.

Parking your own car is such a waste of time.  Don’t worry! Startup valet-parking company Luxe has got you. Start saving your coins. Depending on the U.S. city, pricing could range from US $5-7 hourly or US$15 – US$30 daily.

The Virtual Skinny: Make Room…

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

11.25.2015

Good to Know:  Tomorrow is American Thanksgiving. Startups want people to stay at home, eat, drink, and be merry. This Thursday, these companies are prepared to deliver last-minute, wine, stuffing, movies, etc. straight to your door within an hour. BTW, like many people in the U.S., we’ll be busy gobbling up turkey. See you back here on Monday, November 30. 

THE SKINNY

When You Can’t Remember Your Password … 

It’s not you … It’s them. E-commerce company Amazon reset passwords for some of its users recently.

Why?

Well, if you got an email from Amazon, then you probably know that the company feared that some users’ passwords may have been inadvertently exposed to third parties. Amazon said it has “no reason” to believe that this actually happened but wanted to take precautionary measures.

Safety First … 

Amazon’s also pushing users to make sure their information is secure via two-factor authentication.  With this system, hackers would need more than just your username and password to get into your accounts. They’d also need another device like your mobile phone.

WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON? 

Shady “Mr. Grey…”

If you’re up to some shady things, it’s probably best to just keep your mouth shut. Around this time last year, cybersecurity firm Hold Security id-ed a Russian hacker group responsible for stealing 1.2 million credentials and over 500 million email addresses. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) got involved. According to official court documents, the FBI figured out that the hacker, known as “mr. grey,” is linked to a Russian email address. mr. grey hasn’t been shy… The group previously boasted that it could hook people up with user account information for popular sites like Facebook and Twitter. For now, FB, Twitter, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Justice have nothing to say on the matter.

Going Solo … 

Tor, the place where Internet users go for private and secure messaging, wants your money. The organization’s network is mainly U.S. government backed (about 80-90%), but Tor thinks that it’s time to fly solo. The project thinks that being more independent will allow it the flexibility to offer its communication services to those around the world who need increased privacy.

THE STREETS ARE TALKIN’

Do it for the kids. YouTube’s under fire for allegedly pushing junk food ads on the kids’ version of its video platform. Two children advocacy groups have filed complaints with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Talk about trying to bring someone back down to Earth …  Earlier this week, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos took to Twitter for the first time to brag about his other company, Blue Origin. The aerospace company successfully launched and landed a rocket-ship. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, must’ve been feeling some kind of way. Musk gave the ultimate back-handed compliment:  First, he congratulated Bezos but then quickly implied that SpaceX did it first.

Amazon’s e-commerce rival Jet.com just pulled in $350M and is expected to add $150M more. The company says most of it will go to marketing, customer support, and growing its team. Who needs a job?

Three ex-Goldman Sachs bankers are trading in their designer suits for jeans and hoodies. The former bankers recently joined Uber adding to the growing trend of people opting out of Wall Street for tech companies.  In more Uber news, the company’s pulling together a ‘Safety Advisory Board,’ to help the company navigate its consumer safety issue. It’ll focus on the U.S. first before taking the show worldwide.

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: 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.