Here’s a partnership that’s all in the family. ThePlatform has inked a deal to provide its online video publishing system to NBCUniversal’s USA Network, Syfy and Oxygen, making it easier for those networks to push their content across various devices as part of an expanding “TV Everywhere” strategy. As you may recall, ThePlatform was acquired by Comcast… Read More…
Take a spin with the new Swype: An Android keypad that learns from you

Swype is getting a facelift, just eight months after the Seattle upstart was gobbled up for $102 million by Nuance. The popular mobile text-input technology for Android devices now includes both voice and touch into one easy-to-use system, as well as support for dozens of languages. But the key new feature is a smarter algorithm,… Read More…
Video: Microsoft Surface keyboard/cover in action

Microsoft’s new Surface tablet computer, unveiled during a press event here this afternoon, will work in conjunction with a cover that attaches via magnets and doubles as a keyboard. Two versions will be available: one with a touch-sensitive surface, dubbed Touch Cover; and another with slightly raised keys for better typing, dubbed Type Cover. The… Read More…
Entrepreneur Dan Shapiro: Startups aren’t a science

When Dan Shapiro joined the startup world in 2002, he was bitten by the bug…hard. Find out what he’s learned along the way and hear his startling confession in this episode of Nextcast. Dan Shapiro grew up with computers, getting his first one at age seven and using it mostly to play games. Decades later, with… Read More…
Meet the 6-year-old entrepreneur who just wowed Startup Weekend

While checking out the action at Seattle Startup Weekend’s closing event Sunday, I stole a moment to sit down with the weekend’s youngest presenter Ashwin Gowland (also known as “Gap Tooth Kid”). Ashwin, just six-years old, presented his idea for washable stickers complete with slide deck and an easy confidence that won him the coveted… Read More…
Photo booth of the future: Star Studio will drive teens wild

Earlier this week, I popped by Coinstar’s analyst day in Bellevue to get an inside look at some of the company’s latest R&D efforts. The maker of the Redbox DVD movie rental kiosks has a big year ahead, showing off everything from an automated coffee kiosk to the Gizmo, a place where shoppers can buy… Read More…
As sales soar, Elemental raises $13M to help big media deliver video to multiple screens

Elemental Technologies CEO Sam Blackman wasn’t looking for cash. After all, more than half of the money from the company’s last round is still parked in the bank. But when you’ve got a business that’s nearly tripling revenues and operating in the super hot arena of mobile video processing, venture capitalists have the tendency to hover…. Read More…
Video: Zipwhip’s ‘Textspresso’ machine, now with edible ink

A few weeks ago, we told you about Zipwhip’s new Textspresso machine, an amazing invention that allowed coffee lovers at the cloud-based texting company to send a text to a coffee maker and have a cup of joe brewed automatically while they traveled to the office. The story was one of the most popular on… Read More…
Next up on Amazon.com: A casting call for original comedy and kid’s shows

Word has quietly been leaking out over the past few weeks that Amazon.com plans to expand into original video content, following the path of Hulu, Netflix, YouTube and other Web video giants. Today, the company announced a key move in that arena. Amazon Studios has begun taking submission for video Web series in the comedy… Read More…
Opanga Networks raises $6M to deliver enhanced mobile video
Seattle’s Opanga Networks, which is developing a content delivery network known as NetRover to enhance the way video is distributed to mobile devices, has raised $6 million in financing. The deal was led by Pacific Wireless Ventures, a Seattle private equity firm. “Most video technology innovation today is focused on defensive strategies towards mobile video like… Read More…































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