Remember Hot Potato? Wonder what ever happened to the location-based chat client? It got bought by Facebook, and then shut down, just like these other 10 other companies. Will Instagram be next?
One billion dollars might seem like a high price to pay for a company with 13 employees and not much, if anything, in the way of revenues. But that’s what Facebook will pay to acquire Instagram, maker of a popular photo-sharing app for mobile phones. And though at first glance the deal might seem nutty, it may turn out to be a brilliant strategic maneuver—and a bargain to boot.
Dan Lyons likes Facebook’s billion dollar bet on Instagram for one big reason: mobile.
In an experiment I called “Month of Microsoft,” I’ve spent the past four weeks using nothing but Microsoft products—Windows computers, Windows phones, Xbox, Bing, Internet Explorer—instead of my usual lineup of Apple and Google products.
Our Dan Lyons actually subjected himself to this. The least you can do is read about it.
I’m excited to share the news that we’ve agreed to acquire Instagram and that their talented team will be joining Facebook.
For years, we’ve focused on building the best experience for sharing photos with your friends and family. Now, we’ll be able to work even more closely with the Instagram team to also offer the best experiences for sharing beautiful mobile photos with people based on your interests.
Facebook has bought Instagram for approximately $1 billion.
An excerpt, in which Issa praises January 18th’s Stop SOPA day of protest:
Redditor trotsky1947:
…[I]n your mind, what keeps your peers in Congress so ignorant about the internet/technology? Shouldn’t they have to keep up if they are going to pass laws regarding tech? What do you think is the best way to educate them?
Issa:
Why are many of my colleagues tech illiterate? First, they don’t do I Am A’s. But seriously, few people in Congress have private-sector tech experience like my friends Blake Farenthold & Jared Polis. They never got their hands dirty innovating and even really personally using technology. But there are, in fact, members who didn’t work in tech pre-Congress (Jason Chaffetz and Zoe Lofgren come to mind) who do get it, championing policies that support tech/innovation…particularly protecting the Internet.
As far as educating Congress, what you all dropped on Congress on January 18 was incredibly edifying for them, forcing them to take a hard look at what they know, think they know and don’t know about tech. Keeping up the heat, and getting involved in open government projects like we’re doing crowdsourcing legislation at KeepTheWebOPEN.com, is your best bet.
Read the whole interview. (h/t Slate)
![reuters:
The new interface of Apple TV, unveiled Wednesday at Apple’s event in San Francisco. The upgraded device supports full 1080p resolution and will cost the same price as its predecessors: $99. The device hits the shelves on March 16th with pre-orders beginning today. [REUTERS]
Live blog: Apple’s San Francisco event
New iPad will have a retina display!](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0j1jvNvqD1qmaoalo1_500.jpg)
The new interface of Apple TV, unveiled Wednesday at Apple’s event in San Francisco. The upgraded device supports full 1080p resolution and will cost the same price as its predecessors: $99. The device hits the shelves on March 16th with pre-orders beginning today. [REUTERS]
Live blog: Apple’s San Francisco event
New iPad will have a retina display!
Reblogged from Reuters
The most striking thing about Apple’s unveiling of Mountain Lion today is how differently the company played it this time. There were absolutely no rumors; not even a peep. Apple announced Mountain Lion with no event, but embraced the tech press for this unveiling in a way I haven’t seen in a long time, including one on one demos.
Some sites got advance developer previews days before the announcement, from my former coworkers at Macworld to TechCrunch.
I have to admit, I’m a little surprised and delighted at how quickly the post-Jobs Apple is changing. Tim Cook’s been sending letters about Apple as a company and responding on the topic of working conditions at its suppliers. Now it’s flying under the rumor radar while still managing to give press early copies of major OS updates. Well done, Mr. Cook.
Perhaps it’s time to readjust our expectations of Apple.
Read more about the audits Apple is doing from Dan Lyons in this week’s Newsweek.
(Source: chartier)
Reblogged from ShortFormBlog
I would download this in a heartbeat. A heartbeat.
Reblogged from A/H
“Twitter Inc. has acknowledged that after mobile users tap the “Find friends” feature on its smartphone app, the company downloads users’ entire address book, including names, email addresses and phone numbers, and keeps the data on its servers for 18 months.
The company also said it plans to update its apps to clarify that user contacts are being transmitted and stored. The company’s current privacy policy does not explicitly disclose that Twitter downloads and stores user address books.”
Read more on the LA Times: Twitter stores full iPhone contact list for 18 months, after scan.
Sounds like Path was only the tip of the iceberg on this whole privacy thing.
Reblogged from ShortFormBlog
Fast Company has “A rather nerdy analysis of the typical iPhone and Android home screen setup, and how each could be made more efficient.” You know, if you’re into that sort of thing.
People never would’ve thought that Facebook could’ve made it on its own, but now people are saying to themselves that Facebook could theoretically be a multibillion-dollar company.
Steven Levy, Newsweek June 25, 2007 (via nwkarchivist)
Reblogged from Newsweek Archivist
This doesn’t sit well. At all.
The information will enable Google to develop a fuller picture of how people use its growing empire of Web sites. Consumers will have no choice but to accept the changes.
And of course, I await the iPhone commercials…
The policy will take effect March 1 and will also impact Android mobile phone users, who are required to log in to Google accounts when they activate their phones.
Reblogged from The Longest Week
Google, the Web’s top search company and one of the most powerful technology companies, will post a link on the company’s home page tomorrow to notify users of the company’s opposition to controversial antipiracy bills being debated in Congress
Looks like the Tech world wins this round. Let’s see if the Entertainment world starts its punches: blacking out TV and content on the web in support of SOPA (or SOPA-esque bill).
Reblogged from The Longest Week
That’s what we look like on Google Currents—the latest way to read us on your smartphone or tablet devices.
3 Apples that changed the world: Eve’s, Newton’s and Steve’s
Heard on NPR
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