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• Why companies are not startups

  by Steve Blank, March 7, 2014

  Every time another execution process is added, corporate innovation dies a little more

  Facing continuous disruption from globalization, China, the Internet, the diminished power of brands, changing workforce, etc., existing enterprises are establishing corporate innovation groups. These groups are adapting or adopting the practices of startups and accelerators – disruption and innovation rather than direct competition, customer development versus more product features, agility

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• Federal Judge rules commercial drones are legal

  by Faith Merino, March 7, 2014

  Judge finds that the FAA has no standing in banning commercial drones but not model aircraft

  For one thing, it turns out there has never actually been a legally binding law on the books banning commercial aircraft. The FAA’s ban comes down to a 2007 policy notice, which the FAA never made official with a notice-and-comment period before declaring the ban. What that means is that even though this is a ban that would affect the public, the public was never invited to the discussions that

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• Twitter officially bans porn videos on Vine

  by Steven Loeb, March 7, 2014

  If you need to take your clothes off in front of other people, you're going to have to go elsewhere

  Twitter has had a porn problem on Vine literally since day one. In fact, I remember reading stories about it literally an hour after it debuted. The company took care of the problem pretty quickly restricting certaing certain hashtags and updating it with a higher age restriction. Those moves apparently were not enough, however, so it has now taken the final stepped and banned adult material from t

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• A year later, News Feed is finally getting revamped

  by Steven Loeb, March 6, 2014

  Facebook tried to update it last year but users rejected the design for being too confusing

  Remember how, exactly one year ago today, Facebook unveiled an overhauled News Feed, which was supposed to highlight things like Photos, news articles, maps and events with new feeds for each type of content? If you've been wondering when you were actually going to get to see this new design, you are not alone. Almost no one got to use it, because it never actually launched. The problem was, to pu

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• How does Flipboard make money?

  by Faith Merino, March 6, 2014

  As publishers watch their revenues tank in the wake of Web content, how is Flipboard making money?

  Flipboard also takes a unique approach to advertising that differs from the typical Web-based approach. Because Flipboard is modeled on print magazines, with “pages” that users can flip through with a swipe, ads aren’t designed to compete with content. They appear as full-page ads rather than links sneakily designed to look just like the content, thereby duping you into tapping on

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• Spotify purchases music discovery engine The Echo Nest

  The Echo Nest API will remain open to developers

  The music streaming space is all about getting the right music to the right people at the right time. That is where a company like The Echo Nest comes in. It is a music intelligence company used by many ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• DIY/Lifestyle tips app Trusper raises $6.17M

  The company is the latest from serial entrepreneur Jack Jia

  I’m a supremely disorganized person (I’d post a picture of my desk, but I can’t find my phone right now), so I recently took to Facebook to attempt to crowdsource some life hacks from ...
  By Faith Merino
  

• Founders Fund raises $1 billion for fifth fund

  The firm has now raised over $2 billion total

  Some of its more recent investments include leading an $80 million Series C round for online payments company Stripe; participation in a $14 million round for Oyster, which offers a monthly subcription ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• Facebook updates policy on gun sale posts

  Users will no longer be allowed to put up posts selling guns without a background check

  People have such entrenched feelings on these issues that there will never be a consensus. Some people love their guns like they are their children and want everyone to have one; other people would have ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• Yahoo acquires visual identity platform Vizify

  The Vizify team will be coming to Yahoo, platform will be shutting down

  As of Tuesday, Vizify is no longer accepting new users. Those who have a current paid plan will be getting a full refund for everything that they have paid Vizify, while Premium customers who registered ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• HomeAway buys customer hospitality co Glad To Have You

  Glad To Have You allows owners and property managers to communicate with, and track, their guests

  The company has acquired mobile guest management solution Glad To Have You, it was announced on Tuesday. No financial terms of the deal have been disclosed, but it seems as though HomeAway is going to ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• Flipboard buys Zite from CNN for $60M

  CNN acquired Zite in 2011 for $20M

  Two and a half years after CNN acquired the personalized iMag (which mines your social media news feed for the stories that matter most to you) for $20 million, Zite has been bought from CNN by none other ...
  By Faith Merino
  

• Edtech startup MasteryConnect adds $3.425M to Series A

  The Common Core standards technology platform brings its Series A to $8.975M

  A while back, I watched Waiting for Superman, and I got all fired up at first—and then I remembered that teachers are the pack mules of society. We throw all of our shit at them and tell them to ...
  By Faith Merino
  

• CloudBees raises $11.2 million in Series C funding

  Company provides cloud services for developers to help accelerate app delivery

  The round was led by Verizon Ventures, the investment arm of Verizon Communications Inc, and also included existing investors Matrix Partners and LightSpeed Venture Partners, as well as new investor Blue ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• Reports: Facebook paying $60M to buy Titan Aerospace

  Titan Aerospace makes solar powered drones that could help Facebook increase Internet access

  Over the past day or so, reports have begun circulating that Facebook was looking to make a new purchase in drone manufacturer Titan Aerospace. Now, new reports have put a price tag on that reported purchase. ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• E-signature company DocuSign raises $85 million

  DocuSign has now raised a total of $210 million

  Everyone seemed to forget to mention the sheer amount of paper that can so easily accumulate. Credit card bill, cell phone bill, insurance statements, bank statement... in no time it can become an avalanche. ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer to retire in September

  Oppenheimer will be succeeded by Luca Maestri

  After 18 years on the job, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer is retiring, Apple announced Tuesday. Oppenheimer will bow out in September 2014, at which point he’ll be replaced by Apple’s VP of finance ...
  By Faith Merino
  

• Tesla reveals big plans to expand European presence

  Car company will opening 30 new service centers, along with a slew of new Supercharger stations

  As you might imagine, the company wants to take full advantage of the opportunity, so it is going to be expanding pretty heavily in Europe, opening more than 30 new service centers and stores across the ...
  By Steven Loeb
  

• Basis reportedly acquired by Intel for $100-$150M

  Is Basis staying ahead of the curve as health trackers are predicted to collapse under smartwatches?

  Basis, maker of the popular wristwatch health tracker, was reportedly acquired by Intel for $100-$150 million. That’s after the company was rumored to be shopping itself around the likes of Google ...
  By Faith Merino
  

• DOJ urges Supreme Court to rule against Aereo

  In a legal brief, the DOJ says Aereo is "clearly infringing" on the copyright of broadcasters

  TV streaming Aereo is going to have the fight of its life when it goes before the Supreme Court later this year. It is going to have to try to convince the court that, basically, it should be allowed to ...
  By Steven Loeb
  
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