Founders of Airbnb, FourSquare, Dropbox & Quora To Speak at MIT’s Startup Bootcamp Tomorrow


It’s not often you can get the founders of Airbnb, FourSquare, Dropbox and Quora all under one roof. Tomorrow, however, they will be, along with six other highly successful entrepreneurs.

Startup Bootcamp, a free one-day event sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, kicks off tomorrow at 9 a.m. in the Institute’s Kresge Auditorium. Talks by startup founders will be happening throughout the day, with a lunch break from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. The specific schedule of speaker times will be posted in the morning.

Here’s who’ll be there, though –

  • Alex Polvi of Cloudkick, a company that provides cloud server and management tools
  • Paul English of Kayak, a tech company created by the co-founders of Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz, focused on improving online travel
  • Nathan Blecharczyk of Airbnb, a community marketplace that connects people who have a place to spare with those who are looking for a place to stay
  • Naveen Selvadurai of FourSquare, a location-based mobile platform that allows users to “check-in” at various locations, sharing their location with friends while collecting points and virtual badges
  • Leah Culver of Convore, an app that gives users a quick way to instant message with groups of friends in real time
  • Drew Houston of Dropbox, a free service that lets people bring their photos, docs and videos anywhere and easily share them
  • Patrick Collison of Stripe, a company that’s making it easier to accept payments online
  • Adam D’Angelo of Quora, a continually improving collection of questions and answers created, edited and organized by everyone who uses it
  • Anthony Volodkin of Hype Machine, a site that keeps track of what music bloggers are writing about
  • Andrew Sutherland of Quizlet, the largest flash cards and study games website with over six million free sets of flash cards
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Dish misses out on opportunity to cash in on Netflix missteps


Dish Network announced that it is beginning a streaming video and mail DVD rental service at a cheaper price than Netflix, but only for its own subscribers. Courtesy of its Blockbuster purchase in April, the company will offer 3,000 movies to stream to TV and 4,000 to the PC—a small selection compared to Netflix and Amazon VOD, but no doubt a blow aimed at the two competitors, albeit one that largely misses.

The new service is titled Blockbuster Movie Pass, and gives Dish customers access to both streamed video content and discs through a mail rental service. The company offers access to 100,000 movies between the two services, and starts at $10 a month for streaming access and one DVD rented at a time, with $15 and $20 per months premium versions.

Blockbuster president Michael Kelly noted at the press conference that he hopes the new services will bolster the 1,500 Blockbuster brick-and-mortar stores still remaining. Kelly said that because of the new video rental landscape (i.e. the low survival rate for other video rental services over the last few years), the company has signed up 500,000 new members over the last few months.

While the announcement is no doubt timed opportunistically around Netflix’s recent trips and falls with price and service changes, we can’t help but wonder why this service isn’t open to non-Dish customers (at least, the PC streaming and mail rentals). Retaining the enticement for customers to switch cable providers is one reason. But given that Netflix has stirred enough dissatisfaction among its subscriber ranks to lose one million of them by the end of this quarter, it would be smart of some service to step in and scoop them up.

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Comcast close to releasing AnyPlay box for in-home live TV streaming to tablets


Comcast has been talking about adding live TV streaming to its Xfinity TV tablet apps for a while, but now this screenshot of a product page from MacRumors indicates it could be launching very soon. It requires an AnyPlay box -- a Comcast brand name for the Motorola Televation cable TV-to-IPTV box shown off in June and previously a portable DVR concept from Panasonic -- that will allow viewing over the local network on compatible devices, including iPads, Android tablets and the like. There's also been recent rumors of Microsoft seeking a tie-in to bring live streams from Comcast to its Xbox 360, which could be eventually be enabled by a device and service like this. According to the page, it includes access to "most" channels, and can register up to ten tablets, but only allows for viewing on one at a time. Time Warner and Cablevision have already rolled out live TV streaming on their tablet apps, we'll see if this in-home Slingbox-approach can avoid their licensing issues.

Comcast close to releasing AnyPlay box for in-home live TV streaming to tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DISH Network Unveils Movie Streaming Service


New submitter therealobsideus tips news that DISH Network has seized upon the uncertainty surrounding Netflix by taking the opportunity to roll out a Blockbuster-branded service for streaming movies and TV shows as well as renting media through the mail. Quoting Mashable: "The service, Dish Network with BlockBuster Movie Pass, is not a direct Netflix competitor per se. Instead, it’s a $10 monthly add-on for existing Dish Network subscribers that will offer them access to DVD and Blu-ray — as well as video game — rentals by mail, along with access to streaming movies and TV shows. It will debut on Oct. 1 and be accompanied by a big advertising campaign. In other words, this is a mashup of BlockBuster’s existing mail and online services with Dish Network’s current video-on-demand service. For Dish Network subscribers, this is a great deal. But we’re scratching our heads to find the value for everyone else. Dish does say it has plans to offer services for non-Dish Network subscribers."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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New Chrome Plugin Gives Instant Sentiment Analysis for Twitter Search Terms



Social media monitoring tool Viralheat has release a free Chrome plugin that adds sentiment analysis to Twitter.

The plugin, which is built with an open API that the startup released last month, adds a bar to the top of the Twitter website, showing aggregate sentiment analysis for the tweets displayed on the page. No account or sign-up process is necessary.

If you search for a term like “Obama,” for instance, you can get an idea of the real-time sentiment surrounding that term. Scrolling down the page includes more and more tweets in the sentiment.

“It really works well for products,” Viralheat CEO Raj Kadam says. “You can put in iPhone or Macbook Pro and quickly get a snapshot of how people feel about that particular product.”

The plugin is transparent about how it calculates aggregate sentiment. It adds a box to each individual tweet that measures its negativity or positivity. When you think it’s wrong, you can tell it so. You can also adjust thresholds for positive or negative sentiment. If you don’t want something classified as “positive” unless Viralheat is 90% sure, it’s easy to make that adjustment.

A version of the plugin for Firefox and Safari will come “pretty shortly.” The startup also sees an opportunity to develop similar plugins for Facebook, Google+ or even something like Yelp.

“We could add another dimension to reviews,” Kadam says.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Blueberry4Park

More About: sentiment analysis, social media analytics, viralheat

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Google TV apps for TNT, TBS leak out briefly, reveal authenticated streaming on the way


We're still waiting for Google TV products to officially get their big update with Honeycomb and access to the Android Market, but compatible apps are already leaking out. NewTeeVee points out a couple from TNT and TBS (which also allow Google TV streaming from their websites) that briefly appeared and will let pay-TV subscribers stream episodes directly over the internet, similar to the iOS apps both networks have already rolled out. Turner confirmed the existence of the TV Everywhere apps, while Google expressed its hope to see more authenticated apps like these and the existing HBO Go access on the platform, as opposed to simply ending up blocked. That's bad news for cord-cutters hoping for an online only machine, but with the majority of viewers still hooked into satellite, cable or IPTV it may be the only way to make Google TV a viable platform right now. All signs point to the update arriving at the end of this month, we should find out more about these apps and others like them then.

Google TV apps for TNT, TBS leak out briefly, reveal authenticated streaming on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 18:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to Enable the New Facebook Timeline NOW



You’ve been hearing about all the wonderful new Facebook features, and like us, you’re probably super-eager to get started with them.

If you’re willing to go through a series of eight steps, you can get into the brand-new Facebook Timeline right now.

Simply follow the instructions in our gallery below, and suddenly you’ll be basking in a new world of Facebook goodness, just like the developers are. Follow the instructions carefully, and good luck.

First, you’ll need to go to the Facebook developer page, which is a part of your Facebook account. Make sure you’re logged into your Facebook account, and then simply follow this link to get started.


Step 1


1. When you get here, click "allow."


Step 2


2. Click "create new app"


Step 3


3. Name it whatever you want, and give it whatever namespace you'd like -- it doesn't matter. Click the checkbox "I agree to the platform privacy policy." And then click Continue, pass the security check by filling in the Captcha, and you'll be ready for the next step.


Step 4


4. After you've verified yourself as a human, you'll reach this screen, where you'll need to click "Open Graph" on the left side.


Step 5


5. You'll see the next screen, entitled "Get Started with Open Graph" -- fill in anything you want (it doesn't matter) in those fields under the heading "start by defining one action than one object for your app." Click Get Started.


Step 6


6. On this screen, do nothing except scroll to the bottom and click "Save Changes and Next." Do the same thing on the next screen.


Step 7


7. You'll be taken to this screen. Wait a few minutes, and then go to your Facebook homepage. That's where you'll be invited to enable Timeline. Be patient at this point -- sometimes it requires you to wait before the changes take effect.


Step 8


8. When you go back to your Facebook homepage, you'll see this. Success! Click Get It Now, and you're in!


You've Done It!


Here's where you fiddle with your timeline, set it up the way you like it, and when you click Publish Now, your Timeline goes live. Or, you can wait until Thursday, September 29, 2011, and it'll go live on its own. If you want to get into your timeline from another computer, the address for this developer's version is located at this URL: http://on.fb.me/ptpPx0 and of course [yourusername] is your own Facebook user name.

[via CNET]


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More About: Facebook, How-To, Open Graph, timeline


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5 Ways QR Codes Could Shake Up the 2012 Election



The only question hotter right now than which Republican candidate will face President Obama in the 2012 election is: What new technology will define the race?

Next year’s candidates will be expected to increase their digital presences beyond major platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and the president’s social network, My.BarackObama.com (MyBO). So, what channels are politico tech geeks watching?

With millions of potential voters using mobile devices, strategists would be remiss to write off QR codes as a risky early-adopter consumer trend untranslatable to the political space.

SEE ALSO: HOW TO: Use QR Codes for Event Marketing

“What we notice in the political space is that it’s three to five years behind your normal corporate brand area,” says George Alafoginis, a digital strategist for Washington D.C.-based New Media Strategies and former deputy director of new media for the Republican National Committee. “One of the exciting things about 2012 is that we have the opportunity to close the loop between online activities and real-world events,” he adds. “We’re seeing individuals rely on their phones, and QR codes present an optimal framework for that. There’s an opportunity for campaigns to reach out to mobile-savvy individuals and transmit a message that will lead to an activation.”

There is great potential in branding candidates, fundraising and collecting supporters’ data using QR technology. Consider how its campaign implementation could yield results.


1. Field Organizing


In 2008, the Obama campaign doubled down on its field operations. Using technology and MyBO, supporters were able to organize registration drives, canvas door-to-door to recruit potential voters, and phone bank from home. By the 2010 midterm elections, conservative organizers were using the Twitter hashtag #tcot, rumored to be the early rumblings of the Tea Party. They ultimately moved to organizing tools like MeetUp, which fueled their big ballot box wins in various Congressional races.

However, there’s nothing like in-person interactions to attract new supporters. This cycle, QR codes could serve as an on-the-street campaign that instantly recruits supporters to rallies, speeches, visibility events and canvassing. The key is to make sure the QR code allows for action – such as connecting with a supporter in another state, pledging to canvass or phone bank, engaging candidates or celebrity surrogates, or receiving cool merch.


2. Donations


The spotlight was on small donors throughout the 2008 fundraising effort. These donations were largely collected via email solicitation. Imagine how this type of outreach could be bolstered via real-life interaction.

Formerly, a canvasser would target a neighborhood, campus or street festival, and ask for supporter pledge cards. He or she would assume responsibility for collecting and delivering those funds. Instead that canvasser could solicit $5 donations via a direct mobile QR transaction. The experience would also be social: the contributor instantly shares her donation across social networks and encourages friends to match her donation.


3. Endorsements


Campaigns are always looking for ways to utilize their celebrity supporters. QR codes could be a chance to get creative: Provide access to exclusive content, such as funny or moving videos, tweets, pics and merch from a celeb. With more codes emerging that integrate specific design art, celeb supporters will also have access to tailor-made QR images specific to their sentiments and brand identities. That means they’ll be more encouraged to share across their networks and with fans at live events.


4. Merchandise


Candidates should tack a QR code to their yard signs, bumper stickers, T-shirts and other physical campaign promotions. Like past inclusion of Twitter and Facebook handles on promotional materials, by election day 2012, QR codes will be a cultural norm.

Why not make cross-promotion more personalized and action oriented? If college kids are heading to a football game, they could be waving team pendants that sport candidate QR codes, not to mention posting pictures on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Gowalla, etc. By regionalizing the QR code’s look and the reward, the merch turns making a statement into a measurable social action for like-minded individuals.


5. Get Out the Vote


In several states, like Colorado, it’s possible to register to vote online. QR codes could be a valuable tool for campaigns looking to tap into voting blocs once thought difficult to reach. Think about it this way: Since 2008, about one-third of young voters have moved and need to re-register at a current address, according to U.S. census data. Likewise, research indicates that millions of highly-sought after Hispanic voters are accessing mobile devices.

Reaching out to these groups using viral QR code campaigns would make registration more accessible to potential supporters – especially to those who grew up with iPhones, and therefore, may not even know how to register via snail mail. States with online registration policies will likely see an uptick in participation this cycle, but QR codes developed by campaigns and third-party advocacy groups like Rock the Vote and others, can maximize the tool to bolster awareness efforts.

While the measurable effectiveness of these opportunities remains relatively unproven for large-scale campaigns, we’re seeing candidates experiment with the potential. Consulting groups are popping up too, offering services aimed at political campaigns.


One thing is certain: The tech-fueled election of 2008 changed political campaigning forever. And even though the pace of change in developers’ garages far exceeds that of Washington, strategists know they’ll need to take advantage of tech in 2012.

“Both parties have done a good job of recognizing there’s a shift in how we communicate and receive information,” says Alafoginis, adding that he is advising his political clients to incorporate QR in their tactical arsenal. “If I’m running a campaign I’m trying to use tools best suited to get my candidates elected.”

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, 221A

More About: 2012 election, features, Marketing, Mobile, Politics, QR Codes

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