I just walked into Shenzhen, and boy, is my mind boggled. Let me just get all my knee-jerk chorus-line reactions out of the way, before we get to the weird stuff: yes, this place is amazing. Yes, the scores of shiny new skyscrapers look like something out of science fiction. Yes, the electronics markets are colossal hives of sensory overload, buzzing nonstop with small-scale high-tech… Read More Powered by WPeMatico
Author: geekfenceblogger
Recently, we found that, for 2018, the amount of money being raised by blockchain and blockchain-adjacent companies via traditional VC rounds is on pace to surpass 2017’s highs. But despite more than $900 million in recorded venture funding in 2017, and more than $375 million in known venture funding for the first two months of 2018 so far, traditional VC rounds — convertible… Read More Powered by WPeMatico
“Timing”, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel said cryptically when asked what the greatest threat was for Snap Inc. “I think the big risks are always the really big product ideas that we’re investing in that are just hard to get right” he told the Goldman Sachs conference two weeks ago. The statements got lost amongst flashier quotes. He defended the Snapchat redesign… Read More Powered by WPeMatico
For many in the open source community, code and technology are meant to be free, shared with all of humanity in the pursuit of a better present and future. That is not how governments see it though. In their minds, technology is a strategic asset that provides a competitive advantage against other countries. These assets lead to wealth, to jobs, and ultimately, to domestic tranquillity. The U.S. Read More Powered by WPeMatico
As YouTube continues in its efforts to crack down harder on content that violates its terms of usage and promotes offensive and/or misleading content, it’s found itself in the fake news crossfire this weekend. After a video and some advertisers were removed from YouTube channels controlled by Alex Jones, the far-right commentator best known for hosting the video show InfoWars, Jones… Read More Powered by WPeMatico
Brandless is an usual company. A direct-to-consumer purveyor of food, beauty, and personal care products, it says that every item it makes is non-genetically modified, kosher, fair-trade, gluten-free, often organic and, in the case of cleaning supplies, EPA “Safer Choice” certified. They are also priced at $3 across the board. The idea, says cofounder and CEO Tina Sharkey, is… Read More Powered by WPeMatico
When Birmingham led the charge in the civil rights movement in the sixties, the city inadvertently created big shoes for itself to later fill. Just how Birmingham was the birthplace of many civil rights actions in the sixties, the city wants to be the birthplace of true diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. I found that out and more when I visited Birmingham and explored its tech scene… Read More Powered by WPeMatico
San Francisco Board of Supervisors President London Breed wants you to remember that she was once, and will be the future of mayor of San Francisco, she said at the Lesbians Who Tech conference on Friday. For those unfamiliar with San Francisco local politics, Breed temporarily served as acting mayor following the untimely passing of SF Mayor Ed Lee in December. As a result of his passing… Read More Powered by WPeMatico
Hey, did you know that TechCrunch sends out a weekly newsletter rounding up the latest startup news? Well, we do! But for as-yet-unidentified technical reasons, it doesn’t seem to have gone out today, so I’m publishing it here. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, what are you waiting for? 1. What does it take to be a startup that raises huge sums quickly? “Trait No. 1:… Read More Powered by WPeMatico
The Gillmor Gang — Doc Searls, Frank Radice, Denis Pombriant, Keith Teare, and Steve Gillmor. Recorded live Friday, March 3, 2018. Doc Searls: “steve was 15 years ahead of his time with Attention. His idea didn’t work until the only way to pay for attention arrived. Cryptocurrency is that way.” @stevegillmor, @fradice, @Dsearls, @DenisPombriant, @kteare Produced and… Read More Powered by WPeMatico