Author: folgado

 We have another filing for a tech IPO today, this one from a company called CompuLab coming in amid a continued flurry of IPOs. But, really, the story here is just that — it’s just another small tech IPO amid a flurry of filings. Snap started off the year with a bang, rattling off a highly successful IPO (though its continued performance is not so great) and opening up the… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 Though Facebook is rarely mentioned alongside Apple, Microsoft and Amazon in discussions about conversational AI, the company has published a hoard of papers that underscore a deep interest in dialog systems. As has become clear with Siri, Cortana and Alexa, dialog is hard — it requires more than just good speech recognition to deliver a killer experience to users. From the sidelines… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 Personal media player software maker Plex says it’s now easier for mobile users on Android to play any video file saved on their device within its app. The move will enable it to better challenge VLC, an app users have historically turned to in order play a wider variety of video file formats. The new feature is entering a public beta today, and will support local playback of a number… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 There are few feelings worse than returning to the spot you locked up your bike after a fun evening and seeing nothing. As a San Francisco cyclist, I’ve had my stomach sink more than once at that discouraging sight. Bikeep, a startup founded in Estonia, is looking to bring its connected locking tech to the States to address the bike theft epidemic. This morning at San Francisco’s… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 Any technology that only works in English neglects 75% of the world. That problem is especially severe for Facebook with its global userbase. Yet most languages are being left out by the advances in artificial intelligence centered around natural language processing led by researchers in the U.S. and China. But today marks a milestone for AI accessibility. Facebook Messenger’s… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 Chicago-based Snapsheet has raised $12 million to streamline the process after car accidents. The company has built a mobile application that surveys the vehicle damage and serves as a virtual appraiser. The latest round of funding is led by Tola Capital and comes just months after a $20 million Series C. “Snapsheet’s virtual claims platform streamlines and simplifies… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 I’m in Columbus this week and I thought we could have a quick meetup in advance of Disrupt SF in September. We’ll be meeting on Thursday at 5pm at the Wolf’s Ridge Tap Room. You can RSVP here. There is limited space so please pick up a ticket early. We’ll have a quick pitch-off in preparation for Disrupt SF and 10 companies will have 90 seconds to pitch and then have a… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 Last month we noted that Instagram was testing a new feature called “archive”, which lets users hide any of their posts from anyone else – either permanently or indefinitely. Today this will roll out to everyone on Instagram, meaning you can start hiding photos today. You can archive any photo or video on your profile by tapping the “…” three-dots button in… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 In May, SoFi CEO Michael Cagney told TechCrunch the company would be applying for a bank charter “in the next month.” Well, it’s about a month later, and — surprise! — the company has actually done so. Read More

Source: Tech Crunch

 Squeezable sides are a very bad reason to buy a phone. Especially now, when the U11’s Edge Sense doesn’t do a whole hell of a lot. Who knows, perhaps one day it will do much more than simply launching favorite apps. But even then, squeezable sides will be a very bad reason to buy a phone.
HTC has done itself a disservice banking on a goofy gimmick with its new flagship. The Edge… Read More

Source: Tech Crunch