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<title>Haaze.com / CameronKoch3 / All</title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com</link>
<description>Test Web 2.0 Content Management System</description>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:10:16 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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<title><![CDATA[Facebook readying launch of iPad app]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-readying-launch-of-ipad-app</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-readying-launch-of-ipad-app</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:10:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>CameronKoch3</dc:creator>
<category>Mobile &amp; Electronics</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=facebook-readying-launch-of-ipad-app</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Facebook may finally be ready to giveiPad users their own app--more than a year after the device went on sale.The social-networking giant plans to introduce a free app in the coming weeks that is designed and tailored especially for thetablet computer's touch-screen interface, according to a New York Times report that cited people who have been briefed on Facebook's plans. The app, which has been in development for more than a year, is in the final stages of testing, these sources told the Times. The Facebook Chat and Groups features have been overhauled, and the app will allow users to upload photos and videos shot by the iPad, according to the report.Facebook representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.iPad users have been begging Facebook for an iPad-native app since Apple began selling the device in April 2010, and it's likely that both Facebook and Apple would benefit from such an app. The availability of an app optimized for iPads might help sway tablet shoppers on the fence about whether to purchase anAndroid-based tablet or Apple's device. For Facebook, about half of its 500 million active users access the social network through a mobile device, and those users are twice as active on Facebook than non-mobile users.Facebook has apparently been focusing a lot of attention lately at winning over Apple users. Facebook's iPad app would likely benefit from a new platform Facebook is reportedly developing to work only on mobile Safari. Dubbed Project Spartan, the new platform will be HTML5-based and aimed at iOS devices like the iPad and iPhone, according to a TechCrunch report.Facebook is also reportedly working on a photo-sharing application for the iPhone that won't be integrated into Facebook's existing iPhone program. Instead, the service will be a standalone option for users that leverages Facebook's social graph, according to another TechCrunch report. <br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Intel takes over hardware design for student tablet Kno]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=intel-takes-over-hardware-design-for-student-tablet-kno</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=intel-takes-over-hardware-design-for-student-tablet-kno</comments>
<pubDate>Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:10:32 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>CameronKoch3</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=intel-takes-over-hardware-design-for-student-tablet-kno</guid>
<description><![CDATA[According to sources close to the situation, Intel Capital and Advance Publications will lead a $30 million investment round in Kno, the high-profile studenttablet start-up.In addition to the funding from its venture capital arm, Intel itself will take over the hardware design business of Kno, which will now focus on its software to manage the devices that are aimed at the college market.Intel will not manufacture tablets, but take its hardware blueprints and share them with their OEM partners.Its current investors will also participate in the round, said sources, but Intel Capital and Advance, the owner of the Conde Nast publishing empire, make up a big part of the funding.Sources said Intel Capital's investment is $20 million and Advance and others make up the rest of the new funding.BoomTown reported in February that the much-funded and high-profile Silicon Valley start-up aimed at making tablet computers focused on students-was considering selling off the entire hardware part of the business.Sources said Kno execs have recently decided that the quicker-than-expected uptake in tablet production by a multitude of powerful device makers had made its efforts to package a seamless offering less critical.Instead, the company will focus on offering its robust software and services to students on theApple iPad, as well as upcoming tablets based on Google's Android mobile operating system and others.The move is a dramatic shift for the company, which had not shipped significant numbers of the student-focused touch-screen device as it has long touted.In fact, Kno said in November that it would ship a $599 and $899 version of the tablet by the end of the year.The lower price was for its single-screen device, while the clamshell double-screen version was more expensive.And, although it has been reported no pre-orders were fulfilled, Kno did indeed ship several hundred of them, built by China's Foxconn, before stopping doing so earlier this year.Many have been dubious about Kno's ambitious hardware efforts.That's because marketing a new and complex product like the Kno takes a lot of effort and cash, especially since the market for mobile and portable computing products is increasingly competitive and includes Apple, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Google, Amazon, Dell, and many others.Kno recently raised another $46 million in funding to add to a $10 million round, and sources said that the Santa Clara, Calif., company was considering going back out to raise even more.Its current backers include prominent venture players like Andreessen Horowitz and First Round Capital, along with investors Mike Maples and Ron Conway.Sources said the shift to deliver textbooks and other student-related delivery systems would be a better path for all that investment money, since Kno has established a wide range of partnerships with colleges and universities.In addition, Kno co-founder Osman Rashid has a lot of experience in the digital education market. He was also the co-founder of Chegg, the textbook rental business that is reportedly aiming for an IPO soon.BusinessWeek is also reporting that Intel Capital was making the investment, but the post did not mention Advance's involvement or that Intel itself was taking over the hardware design business for Kno.Story Copyright (c) 2011 AllThingsD. All rights reserved.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Why Facebook should have chosen blue hedgehog mascot]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-facebook-should-have-chosen-blue-hedgehog-mascot</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-facebook-should-have-chosen-blue-hedgehog-mascot</comments>
<pubDate>Tue, 01 Feb 2011 08:10:57 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>CameronKoch3</dc:creator>
<category>Marketing and advertising</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=why-facebook-should-have-chosen-blue-hedgehog-mascot</guid>
<description><![CDATA[If only.If only Google had been run by at least one touchy-feely human being, as opposed to a goosey gaggle of engineers.If only Microsoft had made itself more teddy-bearish, as opposed to another of Apple's big, bad brothers.And if only Facebook had committed itself to the blue hedgehog.No, I have not been supping to excess. You see, according to the L.A. Times, which seems to enjoy following questions on Quora, Sean Parker, in his Facebook heyday, was deeply keen on Facebook having a prickly mascot. Specifically, a blue hedgehog.Ezra Callaghan, formerly of Facebook, revealed in reply to a Quora question that when Facebook originally conceived a program for local businesses, Parker suggested that they should send each a blue hedgehog (stuffed) just to say hello and appear cuddly.See the blue hedgehog, love Facebook(Credit:CC Orin Zebest/Flickr)Sadly, the program was discontinued before the hedgehogs could leave their mark. Which is a vast pity.While many might consider Facebook an immensely powerful brand, somehow a connection with the natural world, rather than the artificial one, might just have been helpful.Yes, I know Sonic the Hedgehog seems to have cornered the spiky animal market, but if Parker and his friends had found a deft designer, if the blue hedgehog had enjoyed some delightful characteristics--such as a smile and tiny little open claws-- he would surely have served a wonderful purpose.He would have warmed people into believing that artificial friends truly can be real. He would have encouraged people to dig their claws into their objects of desire online. And he would have created a situation in which Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg would not have to spend his evenings appearing on Saturday Night Live.Instead, the blue hedgehog could have been wheeled out like a latter day Taco Bell chihuahua in order to tell people, for example, not to get uppity about privacy or that would get his spine up.While Twitter has birds and whales, Facebook has lacked that living, breathing connection that could make it seem more than just a whiteboard for whining, wining and dining.It is surely not too late. Facebook could introduce its new blue hedgehog within months. It could call him Henry the Hedgehog. Or Freddie the Friend. Or even Ferdinand the Facehog. Goodness, he could even charm Congress. Spiky animals often have.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Scvngr becomes first preloaded location-based application]]></title>
<link>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=scvngr-becomes-first-preloaded-location-based-application</link>
<comments>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=scvngr-becomes-first-preloaded-location-based-application</comments>
<pubDate>Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>CameronKoch3</dc:creator>
<category>Technology</category>
<guid>http://www.haaze.com/story.php?title=scvngr-becomes-first-preloaded-location-based-application</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Scvngr, the maker of a check-in app that asks users to complete activity challenges, today announced that it will now come preloaded on the LG Optimus V, the newest prepaid smartphone from Virgin Mobile USA (which is owned by Sprint).While there&amp;'s no exclusivity with Virgin Mobile, the partnership marks the first time a location-based service will be preloaded on a smartphone. Foursquare cofounder Naveen Selvadurai alluded to a preloaded deal with Nokia back in September 2010, but it turned out the plans were to just include it in Nokia&amp;'s Ovi Store, according to Business Insider.Scvngr differentiates itself from other check in services by adding activities and challenges to the mix. For the consumer, this may promote continued usage and battle check in fatigue &amp;8211' the realization that the check in experience ends with just sharing your location to friends. Challenges may include group check ins or completing a task at a particular store to earn a discount or coupon.Founder and chief executive&amp;nbsp'Seth Priebatsch told me that working with a major mobile carrier, like Virgin Mobile, has been part of the company&amp;'s roadmap, and it wants tow ork with major brands, as it did in an earlier partnership with major beverage distributor Coca-Cola.While I couldn&amp;'t find a much research on whether having a preloaded app helps usage, a survey from market strategy firm iGR concluded that consumers do in fact like preloaded apps as it helps them explore and try new apps. More interestingly, the survey showed that a preloaded app can potentially generate 9.4 times the revenue for the operator as opposed to just offering it in the app store.The Boston-based company, founded in 2008, previously raised a second round of funding of $15 million as well as a first round of $4 million, bringing the total funding to around $20 million.Next Story: 5 lessons learned from my companya4a4s low point Previous Story: YooMee Games enters crowded tournament-games marketPrintEmailTwitterFacebookGoogle BuzzLinkedIn      DiggStumbleUponRedditDeliciousGoogleMore&amp;8230'          Tags: activities, challenges, check-in, location, location based services, location-based, preloaded, prepaid, smartphonesCompanies: Foursquare, Scvngr          Tags: activities, challenges, check-in, location, location based services, location-based, preloaded, prepaid, smartphonesCompanies: Foursquare, ScvngrCody Barbierri is a social and digital media consultant. He works for Piehead and blogs about social media at Social Tab. (None of his posts are about clients or their competitors.) Reach him at Cody@venturebeat.com. You can also follow Cody on Twitter. Have news to share Launching a startup Email: tips@venturebeat.comVentureBeat has new weekly email newsletters.  Stay on top of the news, and don't miss a beat.<br/><br/>0 Vote(s) ]]></description>
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