a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

Google and Facebook reportedly looking beyond hot-air balloons and begin investigating satellites

May27
by on May 27, 2014 at 10:44 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Google, Insider

Not happy with just offering fiber-optic internet access in select cities, Google — and Facebook to a lesser extent — are investigating satellites as a way to deliver internet access according to The Information’s sources close to the situation who would not speak for the record. Among the evidence the article cites for this conclusion is Google’s recent hiring of Brian Holtz and Dave Bettinger. Both came from companies (O3b and VT iDirect respectively) that specialize in communication satellites. Google has also invested in O3b and a current Google employee sits on company’s board. A Boeing representative told The Information that Facebook and…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: 
a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

Korea’s big mobile messaging exit gives Silicon Valley a glimpse of the future

May27
by on May 27, 2014 at 8:47 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Asia, kakao, Korea

Kakao
It may not have the jaw-droppingly high valuation of Facebook’s $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp, but yesterday’s announcement that chat app maker Kakao’s is merging with Korean international portal Daum might be a glimpse into the future for Silicon Valley. Daum is not a familiar name in the US, but the situation it faced leading up to the merger is one that internet firms in the West may soon encounter. It operates Korea’s second largest internet portal, and also offers email, search, a blogging platform, mobile apps and more. Though the company is well established – with over 1,500 staff, and $124 million in revenue and $8 million…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: ,
a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

The truth behind negative psychology (and how to use it to your business advantage)

May27
by on May 27, 2014 at 8:20 pm
Posted In: Analysis and Opinion, Around the Web, Design & Dev, Entrepreneur, How-To's

person on laptop

David Arnoux is Head of Growth and co-founder of Twoodo, helping teams organize using simple #hashtags. “It was a disaster. I missed the last metro ride home, and I had run out of cash for a taxi. I had to walk for two hours to get home! And it was pouring rain. Worst – night – ever.” “I’ll never go there again! Cockroaches all over the bathroom, stains on the bedding and the stairs had no light. And we were on the 6th floor with no elevator! And they wouldn’t give us our money back. I was furious!” “Buying the upgrade…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: 
a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

LG G3 hands-on: A worthy contender to Samsung’s Note series, if it can live up to its early promise

May27
by on May 27, 2014 at 8:11 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Insider, Mobile, Product Launches, Product Reviews

20140527_171420
LG unveiled its G3 smartphone today, a successor to the G2, with a larger display, new camera options and some interesting UI tweaks. It certainly looks like a worthy Samsung Note series rival on paper, so we went hands-on with the device to find out if it measured up in real life. Scratching the surface On the face of it, not too much has changed between the LG G2 and today’s G3 reveal, but look a little closer and there are some notable differences to be found in the G3. Some of those come in the aesthetics of the device; although it keeps the same ‘floating arc’ tapered-edge…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: ,
a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

Google removes NPAPI apps and extensions from Chrome Web Store homepage, search results, and category pages

May27
by on May 27, 2014 at 6:54 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web, Design & Dev, Google

Google today removed apps and extensions that use the Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface (NPAPI) from the Chrome Web Store home page, search results, and category pages. The company also revealed plans to block webpage-instantiated NPAPI plug-ins using the harder-to-bypass page-action blocking UI as of Chrome 37. Back in September 2013, Google declared plans to drop NPAPI support in Chrome, starting with blocking webpage-instantiated plugins in January. Over the last few quarters, Google says it has seen an overall 12.9 percent drop in per-user instantiations of NPAPI plug-ins and declining usage of the most popular NPAPI plug-ins: Google hopes that…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: