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PaperKarma: This mobile app stops junk mail in its tracks with a simple photo click
Most people absolutely hate receiving junk mail. But while the credit card offers, fashion catalogs and supermarket flyers pile up on the doorsteps of millions of Americans each day, one might think that there's little hope to escape the clutter. That was until now. Seattle software developers Brendan Ribera and Sean Mortazavi have taken their frustration with … Read More...
MercyCorps connects geeks from Gaza to Seattle
We’ve got more than our share of tech-geeks here in Seattle. You know, the guys who work at startups, or Microsoft or Amazon, creating the next-generation of computer and web products. But we can’t claim geeks as our own. You’ll find them anywhere there’s an electric current and a connection to the Internet, even in that besieged strip of land in the Middle East … Read More...
Entrepreneur Of The Year® nominations are open!
If you’ve been inspired by a successful entrepreneur, recognize his or her achievements with a nomination. If you lead a high-growth or innovative company, your self-nomination is also encouraged. For 26 years, Ernst & Young has celebrated the game-changing men and women who create jobs and drive growth.
Submit a nomination or apply today. The deadline is March 9, 2012.
UW president pledges to double startup production as new campus incubator hatches
University of Washington President Michael Young today announced an ambitious plan to double the number of startup companies coming out of the offices, research labs and dorm rooms of the state's largest research institution. In a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Young called the opening of the New Ventures Facility at the UW Center for Commercialization an exciting day the … Read More...
Study: Game microtransactions aren’t so micro in the end
The underlying economics of video-games have been undergoing a radical transformation with the shift toward "free-to-play" titles that offer a basic experience at no charge and make money instead by selling additional content and other in-game items. Many of us now play games this way, on Facebook and other platforms. And while it might feel like we're spending less as … Read More...
From 60M users to zero: iLike co-founder laments its demise and Murdoch’s ‘mismanagement’
Following the news that MySpace had shuttered iLike, GeekWire reached out to Hadi Partovi, one of the co-founders of iLike who ran the music service with his twin brother, Ali Partovi. Hadi Partovi minced no words in his response, pointing out that iLike at one point had more than 60 million users -- more than some of the hottest online services of today. Partovi cited … Read More...
How a small business can build a billion dollar brand
Do a quick, little experiment with me. Think of your favorite big brand -- could be Amazon or Virgin or Coke. Now go all the way back in history to the start of those brands. Now, what do you see? If you did the experiment right, you see the now-famous founder of the company working out of a garage, the trunk of his car or a small soda shop. My point is that all … Read More...
Arizona lawmakers push for Amazon.com to collect sales tax
Arizona and Amazon appear to be at loggerheads. Legislators in the state are reportedly pushing forward with a plan to have online retailers like Amazon.com collect sales tax, part of an ongoing battle between the online retailer and cash-strapped states, reports The Associated Press. As we previously reported, the state of Arizona is going after Amazon for $53 million … Read More...
Paul McCartney jets from streaming music services; Rhapsody calls it a ‘shock’
Paul McCartney appears to be a "Band on the Run" ... at least when it comes to popular music streaming services. The former Beatle has pulled his tracks from the likes of Spotify, Rdio and Rhapsody just a few days after releasing a new album, Kisses on the Bottom. Rhapsody, the Seattle-based music streaming service, said that it received a take-down notice from … Read More...
Windows 8 Consumer Preview on Feb. 29, with a mobile twist
Microsoft just sent out the press invitations for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview launch, and the venue and timing are particularly interesting. The event will take place on Feb. 29 in Barcelona, where the mobile industry will be gathering for the big Mobile World Congress. The choice highlights the increasing intersection between Windows and the mobile world, as … Read More...
With Motorola deal pending, Google and Microsoft make dueling patent pledges
Google is seeking to reassure technology standards groups that it won't misuse Motorola's patent portfolio to extract unreasonable licensing fees for patents deemed "standard-essential" if its $12.5 billion acquisition of the mobile phone giant is approved by regulators. Microsoft -- which is facing the prospect of paying Motorola as much as 2.25 percent of sales on … Read More...
University of Washington to hatch startup incubator today
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Inslee earlier this week laid out an economic plan for Washington state that included ideas on how to spark more spin-off companies from research universities. As it happens, there's already a strong movement afoot to make that idea a reality. The University of Washington today plans to host an open house for its New Ventures … Read More...
Amazon’s new Viacom deal adds Snooki, not Jon Stewart
Amazon.com this morning announced a deal with Viacom to add TV shows from MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Spike, VH1, BET, CMT and Logo to the streaming video catalog available at no extra cost to its Amazon Prime subscribers. The announcement confirms a report by Reuters yesterday afternoon. The news comes amid widespread speculation that Amazon will … Read More...
One-time popular music service iLike officially bites the dust
"And another one gone, and another one gone. Another one bites the dust." Freddie Mercury of Queen may have summarized the current market perfectly. As we've previously reported, a number of high-profile Internet services have announced in recent weeks that they will be closing their doors following acquisitions by corporate … Read More...
Supercomputer maker Cray forms YarcData, a new unit to capitalize on ‘big data’
One of the tech buzzwords du jour right now is "Big Data," the idea of companies mining ever-increasing data sets to glean insightful information. That's an arena where supercomputers can have an especially powerful role, in part because the machines are built to crunch complex numbers used in everything from the exploration of oil & gas to the design of … Read More...
Seattle’s gaming industry: A hidden success story that keeps on growing
Seattle's gaming industry doesn't always get the respect it deserves. But the industry is a very big business, and it is growing. A preliminary report from The Washington Interactive Network found that there are now more than 350 gaming and interactive media companies in the region, up from 150 in 2007. Revenues at these companies were estimated to be $9.7 billion in … Read More...
Report: Amazon close to Viacom deal, moving toward standalone video subscription service
Amazon is set to announce a web video deal with Viacom, according to a report this afternoon by Reuters -- which describes the deal as one of the final steps prior to Amazon launching a standalone video subscription service. The move would boost Amazon's competition with Netflix, which has said in the past that Amazon isn't making a noticeable dent in its … Read More...
Colorado real estate group explains why they booted Zillow’s Diverse Solutions
Why did Metrolist -- the largest Multiple Listing Service in Colorado -- cut ties with Zillow-owned Diverse Solutions? Online real estate watchers, including several on GeekWire, have been wondering about the motivations of that decision ever since word spread earlier today. I was curious as well, so I touched base with Metrolist marketing director Melissa Olson … Read More...
Who is buying e-readers? Not me, but paralegals, dietitians and iPod owners sure love ‘em
As I've noted in the past, I am not a big fan of electronic reading devices. (In addition to having little time to read books these days, I just can't stomach the idea of carrying around yet another device). BlueKai, the online advertising company with operations in Seattle and San Francisco, just released an infographic showing who is actually buying Nooks and Kindles … Read More...
Seattle outranks San Francisco for title of geekiest (and smartest) people
San Francisco may have better restaurants, weather, shopping and cocktails. But here's one area where Seattle outshines the city by the bay. According to a survey by Travel + Leisure magazine, Seattle has the most tech-savvy people in the country. Yep, we're geekier in Seattle than our counterparts in San Francisco (which actually finished second). Seattle also is #1 … Read More...
Microsoft ready for ‘Flight’ — calls new PC title ‘a step up’ from efforts of the past
Microsoft is gearing up for the debut of its new "Microsoft Flight" franchise for Windows PCs, announcing a Feb. 29 launch and providing new details on the free experience and premium content that will be available at launch. Leading up to the official release, the company has had a tough time winning over fans of Microsoft Flight Simulator -- the pilots and … Read More...
A banner year at Urbanspoon as foodies conduct millions of mobile restaurant searches
We've seen a number of high-profile online services get shuffled into the dust-bin of history in recent weeks after their corporate parents decided to pull the plug. (Namely Picnik, TeachStreet and Summify). But here's a counter example. Urbanspoon, the Seattle-based online restaurant directory which was gobbled up by IAC in 2009, is alive and well. In fact, the company … Read More...
Here’s what Jay Inslee wants to do to keep the state’s tech industry humming
There's no shortage of ideas in Jay Inslee's economic plan for Washington state. The Democratic candidate for governor released a 30-page jobs plan -- divided into seven subsections -- on Monday at the MacDonald-Miller factory in Seattle. Among the priorities: Clean Energy, Aerospace, Life Sciences, Military, Information and Communication Technology, Agriculture and … Read More...
Study: ‘App Economy’ has created 466,000 U.S. jobs — like a 21st Century construction sector
A new study out today documents the impact of apps on the U.S. economy, concluding that 466,000 jobs have been created by the "App Economy" since 2007 -- including programmers, marketers, interface designers, managers and support staff working on apps and infrastructure for platforms including Android, Apple iOS, BlackBerry, Facebook and Windows Phone. The New York … Read More...
Backlash continues against Zillow as real estate group cuts ties with Diverse Solutions
Zillow is once again finding itself in the news after a Denver-based Multiple Listing Service notified members that they plan to pull the plug on a listing feed arrangement with Diverse Solutions. You may recall that Zillow gobbled up Diverse Solutions last year, paying $7.8 million for the Irvine, California-based real estate services company. But that's apparently … Read More...
Microsoft merges voice-response tech into 24/7 Inc., promises smarter self-serve calls
Microsoft is merging its interactive voice-response technology into 24/7 Inc. and taking an equity stake in the Silicon Valley company. The deal, announced this morning, includes an R&D partnership between the companies and a patent licensing agreement that gives 24/7 broader access to Microsoft's speech technologies. An undisclosed number of Microsoft employees … Read More...
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