Category: News

If you’re a popular social sharing service not named Google+, you might be integrated into iOS very soon. According to a report in 9to5Mac, Apple is working on integrating Yahoo’s revamped photo service Flickr and the social video network Vimeo into iOS 7. The two services would join the two big social networks, Twitter and Facebook, in enjoying operating system-level integration into the iPhone and iPad.

That would mean that users could sign in with their Flickr and Vimeo accounts within the Settings app on their iOS device, just as they can now with Twitter and Facebook. Then when the user hits the share button in an app, the menu will include the services that they’ve registered.

iOS is expected to be detailed by Apple at its Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco in June. 9to5Mac noted that the decision to include two additional social services could be reversed before any announcement is made. But the report does make a lot of sense.

Such a move could be read as a bit more anti-Google maneuvering from Apple. After all, the company last year shed all iOS-Google tie-ins in iOS 6 with the exception of keeping Google search as the default option in mobile Safari. YouTube is available as a third-party app from the App Store, but it’s no longer the default video service in iOS. Apple could also take up the move to support Vimeo in response to Google allowing iOS developers to enable a setting in their own apps that automatically opens YouTube videos in the YouTube app, instead of mobile Safari.

But it’s also just as likely that Apple is simply increasing feature parity between iOS and Mac OS X. OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion has built-in Flickr and Vimeo integration, as well as Twitter and Facebook. Facebook integration also began on OS X and moved to iOS, so Yahoo’s photo service and Vimeo’s social video service could be following that same path.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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Jose Canseco has been out of the game for a while, but he’s anxious to get back in (as anyone who’s been following his Twitter feed will know). As of Thursday, he’ll get his wish.

The former Bash Brother will begin his stint with the Fort Worth Cats as a player and a coach. The first game, coincidentally, will be against Edinburg, which is managed by his brother Ozzie.

“I am excited to come to Fort Worth and mentor the young ballplayers,” Canseco said in a statement. “I love Dallas/Fort Worth and I can’t wait to go up against Ozzie.”

Canseco fell out of the spotlight a bit after a much-publicized bout with steroids and has been using his time out of the Major Leagues to pursue other interests–like writing for Vice Magazine–and to gain a following on Twitter, where he posts gems about his life and future goals.

It’s unclear if Canseco will continue on his new path in Fort Worth after this season, but fans are sure to fill the seats once word gets out that the former Oakland A’s hitter will be on the field again.

Caterpillar – yes the same Caterpillar that manufactures construction equipment – has created a tough and rugged phone for users who work and play in extreme conditions. We told you about the Cat B15 in February, and now the phone designed to be the ”most progressive, durable and rugged device available on the market” is ready to launch in North America.

The dust-proof and scratch resistant phone can survive drops up to 5.9 feet, and can be submerged in water as deep as 3.2 feet for up to 30 minutes without a problem. The 4-inch touchscreen display on the Cat B15 can even be used with wet fingers and can operate in temperatures from -4° to 131° F. Of course, it’s a smartphone after all, and comes with Jelly Bean 4.1, a dual-core 1GHz processor, and 4GB of internal memory.  Pretty impressive.

The phone is available online now at $349. You can read all of the specifications  after the break.

Specification:

• Operating System: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
• Processor: MediaTek MT6577 Dual 1GHz Cortex™-A9
• Size: 4.9 x 2.5 x 5.9 inches
• Weight: 5.99 oz
• Screen details: 4” WVGA 480×800 LCD, Capacitive Multi-touch, Gorilla glass, wet finger tracking
• Memory: 4GB storage + 1 GB
• Camera: 5.0 MP Rear, VGA Front
• Video: 720P recording 30 FPS Codecs H.263, H.264/AVC, mpeg4/SP, VP8
• Talk time: Up to 9 hours
• Standby: Up to 9.5 days
• Connections: microUSB, microSD 32GB, 3.5mm audio
• GPS: A-GPS mode
• Temperature Operational range: -4º F to 131º F
• Drop testing: 5.9 feet onto concrete
• IP rating: IP67 waterproof to 3.2 feet for 30 min; impervious to dust

Source: Business Wire

Come comment on this article: Caterpillar launches incredibly durable Cat B15 Android phone in North America

Sprint has recently announced three mobile broadband devices for those now in the vicinity of Sprint’s ongoing LTE rollout. The three devices include Novatel’s MiFi 500 LTE, the Netgear Zing Mobile Hotspot, and 341U USB dongle— they are expected to be available by the summer. Sprint also hinted at tri-band LTE phones from Samsung and LG to follow. Hit the break for the full press release.

Tri-Band 4G LTE Mobile Broadband Devices to Bring Sprint Customers Stronger In-Building Coverage and Better Network Performance

MiFi® 500 LTE by Novatel Wireless™, NETGEAR® 341U USB Modem and NETGEAR® Zing Mobile Hotspot ™ offer connectivity and security without the hassle of searching for a public Wi-Fi signal

LAS VEGAS (BUSINESS WIRE), May 21, 2013 – Sprint (NYSE:S) today announced the planned summer launch of a trio of mobile broadband devices that will take advantage of three bands of 4G LTE wireless spectrum available to Sprint’s network. These devices are expected to bring customers improved network performance and stronger in-building coverage as LTE is deployed on each of these bands. With the ability to leverage Sprint’s 4G LTE network at 1.9GHz and 800MHz as well as Clearwire’s LTE network at 2.5GHz, these new devices offer Sprint customers ideal solutions to easily stay connected on the go.

The first tri-band Sprint 4G LTE-capable mobile broadband devices will be the sleek MiFi® 500 LTE by Novatel Wireless™, international-capable NETGEAR® Zing Mobile Hotspot™ and the plug-in NETGEAR® 341U USB Modem. Pricing and exact availability dates for the three devices will be provided at a later date.

The three bands of spectrum accessible on these devices will provide Sprint customers a high-quality, consistently fast 4G LTE network experience, whether they are sitting at their desks, catching up with friends at a coffee shop, or riding in a cab in a crowded city:

The 800MHz spectrum that is being added to Sprint’s LTE network beginning later this year excels at in-building coverage. This spectrum is able to be repurposed for LTE as Sprint ceases operations of the Nextel National Network on June 30, 2013.
Using 1.9GHz spectrum as its primary band for 4G nationwide coverage, Sprint is making substantial progress with deployment of its new 4G LTE network. Sprint now offers service in 88 markets nationwide, including Los Angeles, Charlotte, Boston and Dallas. Average performance is in the range of six to eight MB per second for downlink and two to three MB per second or higher for uplink. Many Sprint customers are discovering Sprint 4G LTE in cities that haven’t yet officially been announced, including Washington, D.C., New York and San Francisco. Sprint has announced more than 170 additional markets where LTE will be available in the coming months.
Clearwire’s 2.5GHz spectrum for its LTE network, which excels at broad-based, high speed coverage, is expected to provide Sprint customers with increased speeds and capacity in densely populated cities.
The launch of devices that can operate on three spectrum bands is another milestone in Sprint’s rollout of Network Vision. Network Vision represents a nationwide update of the Sprint network using the newest, most-advanced equipment in the industry. Sprint plans to consolidate multiple network technologies into one seamless network with the goal of enhancing network coverage, improving call quality and increasing data speeds for customers. It will also offer financial benefits for Sprint shareholders.

“We are very pleased to reach another Network Vision milestone today as we continue to be on schedule to deliver a world-class LTE network experience for our customers,” said Steve Elfman, president of Network Operations and Wholesale. “These three devices from our partners at Novatel and NETGEAR provide a clear look at the benefits of consolidating networks and making the best use of our spectrum assets. Best of all, these new mobile broadband devices bring our customers innovative features, including touchscreens and international capability.”

Updated MiFi Packs In Features

Novatel Wireless, inventor of the mobile hotspot category, has updated its award-winning MiFi hotspot with the MiFi 500 LTE, adding connectivity to Sprint’s LTE network as well as 3G CDMA. Offering sleek and compact styling, MiFi 500 LTE makes it easy for families, students or work teams of up to 10 to wirelessly stay connected with the same 3G or 4G LTE connection.

This convenient mobile broadband device requires no software to install and offers advanced on-device security features to keep data and wireless service protected. An easy-to-use, on-device menu and intuitive navigation keys puts important information, such as battery status, signal strength and connected devices, at the user’s fingertips. The web interface provides additional information including data usage and power management options.

MiFi 500 LTE offers a powerful 1,800mAh battery with an average of up to 10 hours of use on a single charge. It also features GPS functionality over Wi-Fi, multiple security protocols and other advanced features required by many corporate customers.

International Sprint LTE Hotspot

Sierra Wireless’ AirCard® mobile broadband devices, including mobile hotspots, USB modems, associated accessories and software, are now part of the NETGEAR® family. Thinner than a hockey puck, NETGEAR Zing Mobile Hotspot is Sprint’s first CDMA/LTE mobile hotspot to boast international roaming capabilities via GSM. It is also Sprint’s first LCD touchscreen hotspot and first hotspot with both the device and packaging meeting Sprint’s stringent environmental specifications.

NETGEAR Zing makes it easy to get work started quickly with access to the Sprint 3G or 4G LTE networks within seconds and real-time access to company resources, networks and data. The entire family can stay entertained on the go with high speed data for up to 10 users on Wi-Fi capable devices, such as laptops, eReaders, gaming devices, music players and tablets.

With a 2,500mAh battery, NETGEAR Zing allows users to remain connected for up to 10 hours of typical use. Users of the device can also manage connections and change network or device settings directly from the touchscreen. Additional settings are accessible through the web user interface.

First Tri-Band LTE USB Plug-In Modem

For those who prefer a plug-in option, NETGEAR 341U USB Modem will be Sprint’s first tri-band LTE-capable USB modem. This small yet powerful device features a built-in LCD screen display to monitor connection status, signal strength and data usage with a quick glance.

With no software to install or start-up delay, NETGEAR 341U USB Modem makes it easy to get work done on the go. Download large presentations, stream video, and keep up with email without having to hunt for a public Wi-Fi network anywhere within Sprint’s expanding 4G LTE or nationwide 3G footprints. Best of all, it provides flexibility for mobile workers who want to configure security and network access to keep their data safe.

Smartphones from Samsung and LG with tri-band capability are expected to be available to Sprint customers before the end of the year.

For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE portfolio and rollout, visit www.sprint.com/network. For detailed 4G LTE maps, visit www.sprint.com/coverage. Customers are encouraged to check back often because the maps will be updated whenever coverage is enhanced.

 

Come comment on this article: Three tri-band LTE devices announced by Sprint for this summer

Country Music star Chely Wright is now a mother. According to a report in People magazine, the singer gave birth to identical twin sons this past Saturday.

The twins have reportedly been named George Samuel and Everett Joseph after their great-grandfathers. Wright released a short statement to People, saying that she and her wife are grateful for their medical care and “the love and support of family and friends.”

Wright’s pregnancy had been announced back in January, when it was revealed the singer was expecting twins. At the time, the due date for the twins’ birth was reported to be sometime in the summer. Though much speculation has surrounded the issue, Wright and her wife have declined to give details on how Wright conceived.

Wright found success in the 90s with hits songs such as “Shut Up and Drive” and “Single White Female.” She came out as a lesbian in 2010, making her the first major country music star to do so. She then married Lauren Blitzer (now Lauren Blitzer-Wright) the following year in a ceremony in Connecticut. Blitzer-Wright is a music executive and an LGBT activist.

Bernard Waber, beloved children’s author and illustrator, has died at the age of 91 after a long illness.

Waber is probably best known for his books The House on East 88th Street and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (including his many subsequent Lyle books).

Waber describes how he got into drawing in a biographical essay:

My own early efforts at drawing were mostly confined to the laborious copying of photographs of film stars and other celebrities of the day. I received respectable grades in art classes during my school years, but doubt I thought it seriously indicated a career direction. Perhaps art seemed too frivolous for one raised during the Depression. Besides, I grew up a rather earnest young man and chose instead to major in finance at the University of Pennsylvania. After just one year of schooling, World War II interrupted those rather high-minded plans. Perhaps it was moving about, meeting people of various backgrounds and experience – I don’t recall a precise moment – but somehow during those army days my interest shifted to drawing and painting.

“Waber’s warmth, energy, artfulness, elegance, and abiding respect for children were epitomized in his books,” said publisher Betsy Groban, SVP of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

“In one way or another, I seem to find myself thinking of children’s books most of the time. I even enjoy the period when I am between books, for it is then that I am (I hope) susceptible to all manner of adventurous thought,” said Waber.

[Image via Amazon]

It’s taken a while, but Microsoft’s big plan for conquering consumers’ living rooms is now finally coming together. For years, major tech companies have been obsessed with getting their software and applications onto television screens and have mostly employed a series of set-top boxes that have done little to spark consumer interest. But unlike Apple and Google, Microsoft has always had a secret weapon that it’s been waiting to deploy to make sure that its software becomes entrenched on users’ television sets: Namely, the Xbox.

Continue reading…

Something strange happened last week. My ultra-fast Nexus 7 started to freeze and run slow. The problem persisted for about a week and I feared that the tablet had become a paperweight. I turned to Google Search to research the issue and as it turns out, I was not alone. Other Nexus 7 users (and other Android device users) were reporting the same issue — if the device uses most of or all of the available storage, then the operating system is slow. When I say “slow”, I mean painfully slow. Users were reporting that they needed to keep at least 3GB free to keep the tablet running properly.

As a test, I wiped all data from my device and rebooted. Amazingly, the device ran as well as the day I bought it. Unfortunately, the solution raised a much bigger problem — I could not use all of the storage space that I had paid for. Was this a case of false advertising? Did Google lie to me about the available storage? I decided to contact Google for confirmation.

I called the tech support line and was connected to a CSR. I explained the situation to her. She confirmed that it was a known issue. I appreciated her honesty but was disappointed that Google was aware of the issue and was doing nothing. I explained that the device only had 13GB usable out of the box, since Android OS took up about 3GB. By keeping an additional 3GB free, I really only had 10GB available. I explained it seemed to be false advertising and that Google was essentially lying about the storage space.

What happened next was shocking. She told me that, if I knew I was going to be using that much storage, I should have bought the 32GB Nexus 7. Unfortunately, there was no Nexus 7 32GB available at the time, but even if there was, that is a pretty poor answer. You shouldn’t have to buy more storage than you need in anticipation of you using the full amount of storage that you paid for. I asked for a supervisor and was hung up on. I called back and got a supervisor who seemed sympathetic. He also confirmed that Android devices will run slow with most or all of the storage being used.

So, is Google lying to consumers about the advertised storage space? I sure think so. In my opinion, this is false advertising. Consumers are not getting what they paid for. If Google’s Android OS needs a percentage of free space dedicated to it, then it should be inaccessible to the user, and deducted from the advertised storage space. This way, the user knows the true available storage.

Have you encountered this issue? Which device do you own? Do you think it is false advertising?

Tell me in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Ron Leishman/Shutterstock

Jacqueline Walters Danforth, the daughter of television personality Barbara Walters, was arrested for DUI in Florida this past Sunday.

According to the Collier County Sheriff’s records, this was her first offense. It was officially listed as “TRAFFIC OFFENSE-DUI ALCOHOL OR DRUGS 1ST OFF”.

TMZ, who obtained the police report, says it describes the incident as follows: Danforth was in the driver’s seat of a Honda Pilot, which police stopped at 1:24 AM after reports about an SUV stopped on the highway without its lights. She and a male passenger were found to appear “extremely intoxicated,” and when they went to place the male in handcuffs, she grabbed at one of them and “began shouting.”

An arresting officer reportedly said in the report, “I was afraid that the suspect may run into traffic on the highway, so she was taken to the ground due to her unpredictable behavior, then secured in handcuffs.”

Danforth was released several hours after being booked, on $1,000 bond. Her court date is scheduled for June 12th.

Danforth is 44 years old.

Dan Rosenberg sent out a tweet this morning letting his followers know that he had successfully booted a custom recovery onto the Verizon version of the Galaxy S 4 and he is looking forward to the release.

If you’re going to be getting your Galaxy S 4 in the coming days you should keep a lookout for this method. We’ll be sure to update you once it’s public but we don’t know how long it will take for Verizon to issue a patch.

Source: Dan Rosenberg (@drjbliss)

Via: Droid Life

Come comment on this article: Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy S 4 bootloader hacked, boots custom recovery

A new AnTuTu benchmark score has surfaced for a Samsung GT-N7200, believed to be the model number for the Galaxy Note III device. The test results, if accurate, show the device running Android 4.3 generated a score of almost 28,000. The device is thought to come with an Exynos 5 Octa chip, which tested considerably faster in a Samsung Galaxy S 4. It may be the device which tested at only 1.6 GHz has not yet been optimized as the Galaxy Note III is not expected to be released until later this year.

source: GSM Insider

Come comment on this article: AnTuTu Benchmark score for Samsung Galaxy Note III surfaces

Bad news, Xbox fans: Your current collection of Xbox 360 games will not work on Microsoft’s new Xbox One, and the company’s used games policy is very unclear. The company finally took the wraps off its next-generation video game console on Tuesday and while there was plenty of good news to be had, there were also some some troubling announcements.

Continue reading…

Seattle-based HasOffers, a startup that provides white-labeled software for ad networks and egencies to manage their performance advertising programs, has raised $9.4 million in its first round of funding. The round was led by Accel Partners and included participation by Seattle investors Rob Glaser, founder of RealNetworks, and Chris DeVore of Founder’s Co-op.

PRESS RELEASE:

HasOffers, the SAAS leader in mobile advertising attribution raises $9.4M in its first round of funding led by Accel Partners, with participation by Seattle investors Rob Glaser, founder of RealNetworks, and Chris DeVore of Founder’s Co-op. The bootstrapped startup with 79 employees will use the new investment to expand its engineering organization and accelerate development of its analytics and attribution software tools.

Founded in 2009 by twin brothers, Lucas and Lee Brown, HasOffers features two SAAS (software as a service) products:

HasOffers.com provides white-labeled software for networks and agencies to manage their performance advertising programs. Clients include: Bucksense, Tapjoy, SponsorPay, Applift, PocketMedia, OfferMobi, Crobo, Tapit
MobileAppTracking.com (MAT) attributes installs, in-app engagement and purchases back to ad partners (such as social networks, publishers, and mobile ad networks). Clients include: SuperCell, HotelTonight, Spotify, LivingSocial, Electronic Arts, Square, Yahoo! Integrations include: Facebook, Tapjoy, InMobi, Millennial Media, AdColony, Drawbridge
“We really didn’t need to raise money based on our current cash flow and ability to keep growing, but this partnership with Accel changes the game for us, allowing us to increase our engineering efforts and quickly scale our internal processes to meet a massive need in mobile advertising. I really believe Accel is the perfect partner for engaging this mobile ad ecosystem,” said Peter Hamilton, CEO of HasOffers.

As part of the financing, Rich Wong, Partner at Accel Partners will join the board. Rich previously worked with and led investments in leading mobile companies such as Mopub, Admob, Rovio, the maker of Angry Birds, 3LM, and Mobilespaces. In addition, Accel Partners has also invested in leading global mobile companies such as Supercell, HotelTonight, Spotify, Kayak, Hailocab, Trulia, and others — many of whom are customers of the service.

“We’re seeing a market shift in online advertising from the CPM or display oriented world of the past to a more programmatic, performance based approach,” said Rich Wong, Partner at Accel Partners. “Mobile advertisers are igniting that progression by demanding real user engagement from their advertising partners, and MobileAppTracking provides them with an objective way to evaluate performance of these campaigns.”

MAT is integrated with over 150 major mobile ad networks and publishers to make it easier for mobile app developers to work with any partner they choose. As a third party, open platform, the company maintains an independent relationship with ad networks, RTBs, and agencies and presents marketers with truly unbiased reporting.

“Our roots in performance advertising lead us to believe that successful advertising campaigns are built on relationships. Whether advertisers are promoting mobile apps or web campaigns, they must find the right partners with the right users, and both parties should be held accountable to campaign performance,” said Lucas Brown, Co-Founder of HasOffers. “That is exactly why unbiased attribution is so important.”

In conjunction with the funding announcement, HasOffers released the new Cohort Analysis Report for MAT. This real-time report allows clients to select a segment of app installs and correlate the in-app purchases and engagement that came from those users over time, revealing the true life-time value and revenue per install generated by various advertising sources.

Mobile improvements to the HasOffers.com product provide new attribution technology and parameters for networks and agencies to engage with mobile advertisers. With major UI improvements and mobile oriented reporting, the product is well positioned to be the dominating measurement and reconciliation tool for performance driven marketers with campaigns across devices.

About HasOffers HasOffers was founded in Seattle in 2009 by twin brothers, Lucas and Lee Brown. The bootstrapped startup now employs 79 employees and is the leader in attribution analytics, providing marketers with the tools they need to measure and manage their advertising relationships.

About Accel Partners Founded in 1983, and managing over $9.6 billion in capital, Accel Partners has a long history of partnering with outstanding entrepreneurs and management teams to build world-class businesses. Accel today invests globally using dedicated teams and market-specific strategies for local geographies, with offices in Palo Alto, California, New York City, London, and Bangalore, as well as in China via its partnership with IDG-Accel.

Accel has helped entrepreneurs build over 300 successful technology companies, many of which have defined their categories, including 99designs, Actuate, AdMob, Agile Software, Alfresco, Angry Birds (Rovio), Atlassian, BBN, Bonobos, Braintree, Brightcove, Cloudera, ComScore, Diapers.com (Quidsi), Dropbox, Etsy, Exclusively.in, Facebook, Flipkart, Fusion-IO, Gameforge, GlamMedia, Groupon, Imperva, Infinera, Interwoven, IronPlanet, JBoss, Kayak, Lookout, Macromedia, metroPCS, MoPub, Myntra, OPOWER, Polycom/PictureTel, Playfish, Portal Software, QlikTech, Rapt, Real Networks, Redback, Responsys, Riverbed, Spotify, Squarespace, SunRun, Trulia, UUNet, Veritas, Walmart.com, Webroot, Wonga, XenSource and Zimbra.

SOURCE HasOffers

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/21/5436129/hasoffers-secures-94m-investment.html#storylink=cpy

The post HasOffers Has $9.4 Million in Series A Funding in a Round Led by Accel appeared first on peHUB.

Did Pope Francis, the latest to ascend to the Catholic throne, perform an exorcist on a wheelchair-bound young man this past Sunday? According to those who know what the ritual entails–beyond the movies, anyway–it appears as if the prayer the Pope performed over the man was done for exorcism purposes. There is video of the incident in question:

As indicated, those who have seen the video say yes, it was an exorcism prayer:

“Exorcists who have seen the footage have no doubt – this was a prayer for liberation from Evil, an actual exorcism,” said TV2000, which is owned by the Italian Bishops Conference. The station gathered a panel of clergy specialising in exorcisms who scrutinised the footage and concluded that the pope had performed an exorcism. (link added)

However, the Vatican is taking another point of view concerning Pope Francis and his healing hands:

“The Holy Father did not intend to carry out any exorcism,” said Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman. “Instead, as he often does for sick and suffering people, he simply intended to pray for a person who was presented to him.”

These words, however, did not go unanswered, at least by Father Gabriele Amorth, who, according to reports, is the head of the International Association of Exorcists. Father Amorth says, “It was a real exorcism. If the Vatican has denied this, it shows that they understand nothing.” Of course, it could also be the case that the Vatican is just having fun with semantics and not stoking the fires of exorcism. The Vatican’s explanation was purposely vague, reducing the action to a simple prayer. If, however, you read the Catholic Encyclopedia’s definition of the word “exorcism,” it’s easy to see how vague semantics will let avoid the “exorcism” word without lying about what Pope Francis did (or did not do):

Exorcism is (1) the act of driving out, or warding off, demons, or evil spirits, from persons, places, or things, which are believed to be possessed or infested by them, or are liable to become victims or instruments of their malice; (2) the means employed for this purpose, especially the solemn and authoritative adjuration of the demon, in the name of God, or any of the higher power in which he is subject.

With that in mind, it would be very easy to replace the terms “demon” and “evil spirits” with a vague terms like “sick and suffering people” and while there’s obfuscation, no outright lie has been told. So, did Pope Francis actually perform a quick-and-easy exorcism, or was he just praying for the sick young man?

San Francisco-based Brightpearl, a software-as-a-service company that integrates orders, inventory, and customer data for small and medium-size businesses, has raised $8 million in Series B funding. The round was co-led by seed investors Eden Ventures and Notion Capital, which had previously given the six-year-old company $5 million in funding.

Additionally the company announced that Andy Young has joined as chief marketing officer, and Adam Smith has joined as senior vice president of finance and operations.

PRESS RELEASE:

Brightpearl (www.brightpearl.com), cloud software that integrates orders, inventory and customer data across multiple retail channels, today announced it has raised $8 million in a Series B financing, which was co-led by seed investors Eden Ventures and Notion Capital. Additionally the company announced that Andy Young has joined as chief marketing officer, and Adam Smith has joined as senior vice president of finance and operations.
“We believe Commerce Acceleration software for small to medium businesses is a multi-billion dollar global opportunity,” said Charles Grimsdale, Eden Ventures co-founder and a director of Brightpearl. “Brightpearl dominates this market with the ideal combination of technology, team and traction. We’ve seen customers experience growth rates of 40%-50% by adding new sales channels on the Brightpearl platform vs. single-digit growth for the overall retail sector.”

Brightpearl intends to use the Series B proceeds to invest in continued enhancements to its industry-leading Commerce Acceleration Platform, and to expand sales in North America and the UK.

“Brightpearl has an exciting opportunity to be a market leader in the small to medium-sized market, where significant customer pain is addressed by Brightpearl’s product,” said Chris Tottman, co-founder of Notion Capital and a director of Brightpearl. “Brightpearl is now well funded, building a world-class team, driving the product forward and rapidly expanding brand awareness.”

Andy Young, Brightpearl’s chief marketing officer, joined the company in early 2013, after leading marketing for Intuit’s TurboTax brand, and was a key member of the management team that increased TurboTax revenues by 40% in just three years. Prior to Intuit/TurboTax, Andy was vice president of web marketing for Adobe Systems, and managed all aspects of Adobe.com’s strategy, e-commerce, search / affiliate / direct marketing, analytics and creative services. Before Adobe, Andy was chief marketing officer for Shutterfly, a collection of brands that provide photo-based products and services, where he was responsible for driving revenues from startup through its successful initial public offering. Andy holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

“I’ve had the good fortune to help build some of the world’s leading brands,” said Andy Young, Brightpearl’s chief marketing officer. “Brightpearl has all the ingredients to build a multi-billion-dollar brand; and I’m excited to help make our vision a reality.”
Adam Smith, Brightpearl’s senior vice president of finance and operations, has over 25 years of experience in retail, direct channels and e-commerce. Before joining Brightpearl, Adam was eCommerce Development Director for Dixons Stores Group, and was part of the leadership team that took Sit-up Limited from startup to $400 million sales in just five years. Adam also has extensive experience working with multi-channel retail startups in the US, Asia and Europe. Adam holds a B.Sc. from the London School of Economics, is a qualified treasurer and qualified as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen.
“I was originally drawn to Brightpearl while working for a retailer experiencing all of the headaches of rapid growth in multiple channels,” said Adam Smith, Brightpearl’s senior vice president of finance and operations. “Now, I look forward to contributing to Brightpearl’s meteoric growth and success in attracting retail customers in an enormous and dynamic market.”
About Brightpearl
Brightpearl is cloud software for multichannel retailers. It integrates orders, inventory and customer data and lets retailers do what they do best: focus on growing their businesses. With Brightpearl’s Commerce Acceleration Platform, multi-channel retailers can be confident their core data and processes are under control, saving time, money and creating a reliable foundation for rapid growth. Since 2011, more than $600 million of gross merchandise value has been traded on the Brightpearl Commerce Acceleration Platform. Brightpearl is fully integrated with a variety of sales channels including Magento, eBay, Bigcommerce, Shopify and Amazon, providing retailers with built-in access to multiple avenues for growth. To learn more, visit www.brightpearl.com.

The post Brightpearl Raises $8 Million in Series B Funding appeared first on peHUB.

You stare at the clock. It hasn’t moved in minutes. You’re starting to get a headache, and you remember that your dog chewed up your favorite pair of shoes last night. It’s only Tuesday and you’re ready for the week to be over.

I know your day is a bummer. I know you need a beer. But here’s something to make you feel better

[via AmazingLife247, YouTube]

Empty folders are bound to appear on the computer at one point or another, especially when you create a temporary space to hold your work. Getting rid of these items for better managing said space can be pretty tedious when done manually.

But there are easier solutions, such as Sub4Del, which can complete eliminate the empty spaces in a couple of clicks, literally.read more)

Last week the New York Times suggested that the data center industry has become a “wildcat power utility” by reselling power to customers at a profit and ripe for regulation. So we reached out to experts who were familiar with both data centers and utilities and asked: Is the data center industry a candidate for regulation as a utility?

Their answer: Although power is a key component of their offerings, data centers differ from utilities in very significant ways. Another key point is that data center clients are typically sophisticated companies that are paying premium prices, and unlikely candidates for exploitation by service providers – a key historical concern of utility regulation.

But these experts also noted that some industry practices open the door to greater scrutiny, and data center operators need to be more transparent about their practices to address concerns.

Times: Power A Central Component of Leases

In its story last week, The New York Times took a critical look at power provisioning in data centers. “Electrical capacity is often the central element of lease agreements, and space is secondary,” the Times wrote. “A result, an examination shows, is that the industry has evolved from a purveyor of space to an energy broker — making tremendous profits by reselling access to electrical power, and in some cases raising questions of whether the industry has become a kind of wildcat power utility.”

The paper added that “the capacity pricing by data centers …. appears not to have registered with utility regulators.”

Regulating data centers as utilities “doesn’t seem plausible to me,” said Coy Stine, Director of Data Center Services at Bluestone Energy, which works with utilities on energy efficiency incentives. “Data centers provide the service of a highly conditioned and very reliable power source. Customers can’t get that by plugging their services into the utility power plug in the wall. Comparing a data center to a utility is similar to saying a car manufacturer is a provider of sheet metal. The automobile has metal as a component, but there’s much more to it. The data center provider is playinhg the same role.”

“I think data centers are a whole different animal,” said Jon Koomey, a research fellow at Stanford University who has done several landmark studies on data center energy use. “It’s not only the cost of a kilowatt of power. They’re charging for equipment and infrastructure like backup generators. These data centers aren’t like individual households. The key difference is that these (customers) are people who know what they’re doing.”

Sophisticated Customers

Both Koomey and Stine said they have heard of concerns being raised about the role of data centers in energy purchasing. But they say that equating data center providers to residential or office landlords is a flawed comparison, as they offer different services and have different types of customers.

“I think it stems from the old model of tenants being exploited by their landlords,” said Koomey. “The people that are renting data center space are typically pretty sophisticated folks who are paying a lot of money for these services. This idea that they’re taking advantage of these clients doesn’t make sense.”

“Data center customers have teams of people to negotiate their SLAs (service level agreements) very carefully,” said Stine. “The cost for the data center operator to buy switchgear and UPS gear and generators is factored into the cost to the customer. I think the customers understand this, but the general public does not. Most of the audience of the New York Times doesn’t understand what happens in the data center.”

It’s a given that animals are dangerous. While animals such as the Hippopotamus are known to be very dangerous, even seemingly harmless animals such as beavers can manage to kill a human.

This week, police in Hungary are investigating the violent death of an older man that involves animals not normally thought of as killers. The suspects? Two donkeys.

According to an Associated Press report, a 65-year-old man named Sandor Horvath died last week in Magyarszecsod, Hungary. Authorities say that the man was apparently pulled off his motorcycle by two donkeys and mauled to death. Horvath was reported to have been dragged for 50 meters while the animals bit and trampled him. Police are currently investigating the incident to work out exactly what happened. The results of the man’s autopsy have not been revealed.

The donkeys were reportedly being kept on land adjacent to Horvath’s farm. The animals have not yet been put down, and are being kept “under observation” while the investigation continues.

Orcan Energy GmbH said it raised a second round of financing with E.ON as a new investor. Existing investors Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Wellington Partners participated in the funding. No additional details were available.

PRESS RELEASE

Orcan Energy GmbH wins E.ON as new Investor and strategic Partner

(München, Düsseldorf, Palo Alto) Orcan Energy GmbH (Orcan), the leader in waste heat recovery technology, concluded its second round of financing in early 2013 with the addition of E.ON as a new industry partner and investor. E.ON broadens Orcan’s already prominent list of investors, worldwide leading venture capital firms Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Wellington Partners, both of whom were part of the original funding round in 2011 and continued to show their support by participating in this subsequent round. The new partner- ship is considered an important stepping stone on the path to fulfill Orcan’s vision: “To play a vital role in securing an ecological and affordable energy supply by tapping the energy source of waste heat”. Orcan offers E.ON the opportunity to extend its range of integrated solutions for its industrial clients through Orcan’s Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)-products, the so-called ePacks.

Dr. Urban Keussen, E.ON Senior Vice President Technology & Innovation: “E.ON is constantly seeking out new technology solutions that meet the requirements of our clients and their demand to benefit in a sustainable way, i.e. ecologically and eco- nomically. Orcan’s product, the ePack, offers our clients the opportunity to quickly ac- cess the enormous untapped energy potential of their own easily available waste heat. Additionally, E.ON believes that this new energy solution will be of great interest to potential new clients.”

Dr. Andreas Sichert, CEO of Orcan Energy GmbH: “We believe our ability to win the commitment of such visionary Partners, even in the current difficult climate for start-up financing in the clean energy sector, is strong en- dorsement of our vision and our commitment to realizing it. Our investors sustained support has already allowed us to offer strategically important partners and clients in the industrial and energy sectors attractive solutions to their energy problems. Our ePacks will enable us to radically contribute to the alternative energy revolution, through the development of a cost-effective and sustainable energy supply.”
294 Wörter, Anzahl der Zeichen 2.188 (1.904)Background

Orcan Energy GmbH was founded in 2008, as a spin-out from the Technical University of Munich (“TUM”). Orcan’s ePack offers a compact, service-reduced and cost- efficient “plug-and-play” waste heat power generator based on ORC-Technology. Spe- cific patented innovations enable Orcan to popularize the technology on the mass mar- ket. At the beginning of 2013, Orcan gained sponsorships from the Exist-Research- Transfer-Aid of the Federal Government of Germany and additional grants from the “Wissensfabrik” and various resources from the TUM.

Invigorated by the second round of financing, Orcan will continue to perfect the ePack and will now be able to supply a number of key accounts and sales partners with its products within the year. Additionally, the cash infusion will allow Orcan to refine its delivery chain and upgrade safety and quality standards during assembly in order to facilitate the expected increase in sales.
Waste heat represents one of the largest, untapped energy markets. Worldwide more than 1000 Giga Watt of waste heat are being produced by fixed appliances alone. Until recently, and as a result of deficits in the ORC-Technology, this enormous source of reusable energy, equivalent to the energy volume of 100 million liters of diesel burnt per hour each day, has remained unexploited. Orcan’s ePack and its ORC-Technology finally make this vast supply of energy usable. Many of our clients already produce their own power from “energy waste”, utilizing the technology developed by Orcan, which transfers a sizeable share of waste heat into cost efficient, CO2-free energy. While industrial clients are focused on a sustainable, independent, stable and cheap in- digenous power production, energy suppliers’ primary aim is to sell the auxiliary power. Our technology enables even small biogas stations to easily create additional income generated by their waste heat, leading to a higher return on their investment.

About Orcan Energy

Orcan Energy GmbH is located in Munich, Germany, and is a worldwide leader in the field of „Organic Rankine Cycle“ (ORC)-Technology in small power ranges. The ePack-Technology of Orcan Energy allows waste heat to be exploited in an intelligent way in the process of power generation, and to enhance the energy efficiency of many industrial and energy producing facilities.

About E.ON

E.ON is one of the leading energy companies, acting in the fields of power generation, gas gathering and acquisition, trade, power grid and sales. One third of E.ON’s approx- imately 69 Giga Watt total power generation portfolio comprised low-CO2 output fa- cilities, such as on- and off-shore wind parks. E.ON enterprises include some of the world’s leading enterprises for renewable energies. In addition to energy production, E.ON operates power and gas distribution centers, supplying around 26 million custom- ers with their energy needs. With more than 70,000 employees working in locations throughout Europe, Russia and North America, E.ON posted sales of €113 billion in 2011. E.ON’s goal is to offer its customers innovative solutions while simultaneously adding value for its investors and protecting the environment.

In short: E.ON offers clean and better solutions in relation to energy.

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