During the interview with Draper, Cross showcases some of the Ariat products, describes the difference between Western and English riders, and gives advice for fellow entrepreneurs.

Watch Draper “lasso” Cross in the interview as well!

 

Previously on lalawag:

• Event: IdeaMenschLA – An Event For People With Ideas, March 30th, Culver City
• Survival Tips to Help You Ride Out Carmageddon
• USC Opens Holodeck Training Facility In Playa Vista

In 2009, the Evil Plot to Destroy the World was revealed by Alec Baldwin (and later Seth MacFarlane, Eliza Dushku, and Denis Leary). Now in 2012, Hulu’s advertising campaign advances the notion that the entire TV industry is populated by aliens. These aliens are in disguise using TV to turn human brains into “mushy mush.” Hulu has been revealed as the secret weapon in their arsenal.

When watching the Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5th, “TV star” alien Will Arnett will step into the spotlight to tempt with humanity with details of the latest, slam-dunk, brain-rotting, alien-nourishing innovation…Hulu Plus.

Hulu is making sure that your TV will rot your brain with an Evil Plot to provide brain-rotting TV shows on numerous devices through Hulu PLus.

Want to join the Evil Plot? Use the #mushymush hashtag and follow @Hulu on Twitter.

Watch the teaser ad here: http://www.hulu.com/adzone/watch/324548/adzone-will-in-huluwood

#mushymush!

Previously on lalawag:

• Google Chrome Speed Tests
• What You Need to Know About iCloud if You’re a MobileMe Member
• A Small Cashflow Problem

The CEO of Little Black Bag, Dan Murillo, answered a few questions about himself as an entrepreneur and about his startup company. Learn more about Little Black Bag and Murillo by reading below:

Well they’re starting to roll out now! Check out Little Black Bag today. Don’t forget to also Like Little Black Bag on Facebook and follow the company on Twitter @lbbag!

Previously on lalawag:

• North Korean-themed Food Truck Roams Los Angeles Once Again
• The New York Times Subscription Fees Visualized [infographic]
• She’s Foxxxy: The A.V. Flox Interview

The “Rockin’ Women” series started off with COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg.  During the interview, Sandberg discusses her early career, her thoughts on time management, and her role at Facebook. She also gives great advice to women in business and talks about the impact that Facebook is having on people’s lives, including her own.  In addition to being the COO of Facebook, Sandberg currently sits on the boards of Starbucks and Disney.

When asked about what advice she would give women in businss, Sandberg said: “I think the number one thing we need to do is change the ‘Stalled Revolution’…women in corporate America are about 15-16% in the top jobs, and its stopped moving…If we keep making progress, but we don’t make progress at the top, that’s a stalled revolution. I think the most important thing we can do is get women to start out in their career assuming they want to stay in.”

Last week, Sandberg was a Keynote at the (pre-DAVOS) DLD Conference in Munich, Germany, where Jesse Draper also spoke.  Facebook is widely rumored to be filing for its IPO this week, making this interview especially timely.

Check it out below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzki5iUwF4w&list=UUhTjPLxm4TvI5LfaS4TiR8A&index=2&feature=plcp

The next guest in the “Rockin Women” series was Pooja Sankar, CEO and founder of Piazza. Piazza is an education startup that helps students communicate about courses online in an interactive, social, and engaging way. Before founding Piazza, Pooja worked at Facebook.

“The idea of giving women a better support group while their still in college was something I was very passionate about,” said Sankar.  “I started speaking to many students, and it turned out that Stanford undergraduate students were also telling me that they felt alone; they didn’t think that they had a support group. So that really inspired me to think about what a solution would look like.”

Hear more of this woman’s amazing entrepreneur story below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8oGX_6M4TY&feature=player_embedded

Jesse Draper also had the honor of interviewing Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Supreme Court Justice of the United States of America, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan.  In the interview, Justice Sandra day O’Connor talks about her life growing up, her struggle to find a job in the early part of her career, what it took to make it all the way to the Supreme Court, and her current project iCivics.org, a gaming platform designed to help teach kids lessons in civics.

One piece of advice from Justice O’Conner: “Work at work worth doing.”

Hear her great story below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjARDxv0FwA&list=UUhTjPLxm4TvI5LfaS4TiR8A&index=1&feature=plcp

“The Valley Girl Show” Rockin’ Women series continued with an interview with Lori Steele, CEO of Everyone Counts. Everyone Counts is a leading provider of software-as-a-service solutions for voting systems. Their goal is to create secure electronic voting systems worldwide, giving everyone access to ballots.

Steele came up with the idea for Everyone Counts when she was speaking at a UN Conference on technology:  “I was thinking back to other elections that seemed to matter…and thought, elections are important and people care, one of these companies here should do something to make this better. They should take the technology being used in the rest of the world and bring it to elections.”

Just last Wednesday, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their partnership with Everyone Counts. The electronic voting system will handle ballots for the 2013 Oscars. Lori stated, “We are honored to have earned the trust of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in bringing online voting to the Oscars starting next year.”

Watch the 2011 nominee for Forbes Most Powerful women talk more about herself and her company with Draper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUdDqIDmkio&feature=player_embedded

Julia Allison is a journalist and media personality. She was one of the first bloggers to make the cover or WIRED magazine, but she’s also dealt with her fair share of negative press. Radar Magazine called her the #3 most hated person on the internet. Jesse talks with Allison about her career, her online haters, and how to deal with internet bullying.

Allison talks about her career and said, “I think there’s a new kind of entrepreneurial journalism that I’m really interested in, and I’m really interested in talking to young women entrepreneurs. Whether it’s speaking to them as a public figure, or whether it’s advising them on how to deal with the press, because I’ve made every mistake known to human kind with that.”

Currently, Allison is filming a reality show for a major network. Look out for that in the future! Until then, listen to what other advice Allison has below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nfmWNX1ZRs&feature=player_embedded

The Rockin Women series concluded with Sharon Vosmek, CEO of Astia, a non-profit organization that helps propel women’s full participation as entrepreneurs in high growth companies.

“Fundamentally Astia is a community,” says Vosmek. “A global community that is committed to the success of women-led companies… Innovation = men + women!”

Vosmek explains how Astia is that safe place that allows you to learn and strive towards your goals and success as an entrepreneur.

Watch what else Vosmek has to say encouraging female entrepreneurship…and watch Jesse and her dance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6dlWBdHFjw&feature=player_embedded

Previously on lalawag:

• Tonight: Startups Uncensored
• How Far Would You Go for Your Company?
• Tech Headlines For May 2nd: Time Magazine Offers Free iPad Access For Print Subscribers, Sony Suffers Another Security Breach

Shekhar Yadav from Shopience answered a few questions about himself and the company. Read below to find our more behind the making of this new startup.

Pitch us your service in three sentences or less.

We believe that real shoppers find real deals. Shopience is network of people who love to shop and find bargains. On Shopience you can follow other shoppers just like you, or post deals/products that excite you and others can find/ follow/comment on your finds.

What made you decide to focus your company on that service?

Daily deals sites are becoming boring or monotonous with  same/similar deals/offers in mailbox. The shopper is no longer excited about deals or at least most of the times, because most deals are sourced by sales people who are paid commissions. In most likelihood they are not someone who match your shopping taste and may not be excited about shopping as much as you.

So I decided to work on this idea of letting shoppers find and subscribe to deals from each other. I think as social/local is converging – discovering new products real time at great prices from your circles is going to be big.

How big is your team? Can you describe your company’s culture?

Since I am bootstrapping, I am working with a lot of contractors/or-outsourced workers. We are Googley in our way of doing things – do no evil, and have fun. Though it sound cliché, but it really works.

How did your company get its initial funding?  Do you have any advice for emerging startups on how to deal with funding?

I am putting in the initial investment.

It is relatively cheap to start company nowadays. So even if you have access to capital do not reach out for it as soon you conceive the idea. My advice to startups is to focus on getting to the first few users, or sales if you are a B2B Company, without using external money. You should raise money only if you want the capital to scale after you have the initial set of customers/users.

Has your company ever had to pivot?  If so, what was that like?

No, we have been working on this project only for few months and so far did not have to pivot.

How do you deal with competition? Do you keep tabs on other companies that are doing similar things?

I spend at least 30mins everyday looking at competitor products, any market news, twitter updates from the competition or mentions from followers. It helps me understand not only what the competition is doing, but also where the market is trending.

Tell us a little about your background?  What made you want to start your own company?

I am an engineer with MBA from Columbia Business School. I have 15+ years of experience in building innovative products with small teams.

For number of years, I used to work with product Development Company out of India. We worked with entrepreneurs who had seed capital and limited/or no product/engineering resources to launch their products. During that time, I met with a lot of founders, and we launched quite a number of products/companies. Then I moved to US, as the co-founding engineer with StrongMail (Sequoia backed Email Marketing startup). After spending some time at Google, I decided I needed to go back to the startups, but this time as the Founder.

Who are your three most influential entrepreneurs? Why?

Google Founders – mostly because coming from inside Google, and knowing what they have done to keep the entrepreneurial zeal alive in Google is amazing.

Of the people in shopping space, I like Tony Hsieh of zappos. He built really innovative company around selling shoes online.

What’s the hardest/best thing about being an entrepreneur?

Hardest thing as an entrepreneur is patience, you want everything yesterday and it takes time.

Best thing about being entrepreneur is the feeling that your idea is going to change the world, and you are in control of it. No politics, or no corporate will come between your idea and the execution.

What’s one of your most successful decisions? Can you share something that’s worked really well for you that you think other entrepreneurs could learn from?

I did some iPhone apps for first version iPhone out of interest before launch of the Appstore. I decided to launch them sooner then later with all features, and managed to successfully get 9 apps on first day in AppStore (3 of them were in top 100 for first 3 weeks).

Put yourself or your product out sooner than later, and let the users tell you what they want. Do not be worried about critics. The sooner you can get to the users, the better product you will end up building overall.

What are your next goals? (Either for the current venture or for the company as a whole)

2012 is going to be a big year for social commerce, with the newer better networks (4G) and more smartphones usage – realtime sharing is going to skyrocket. After our planned public launch in early Feb, we want to focus on getting users and learning from the feedback to iteratively build the best product to make shopping for deals fun.

Be sure to follow this company on Twitter for more updates @shopience

Previously on lalawag:

• Girls In Tech LA presents – The New World of PR
• The Valley Girl Premieres Next Week!
• Facebook Releases the “New Profile”

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S smartphone series — Galaxy S and Galaxy S II — have both contributed significantly to the results, the company also reportedly said.  Launched in April, the GALAXY S II has set a new sales record for Samsung with 10 million-unit sales.

READ MORE

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• Happy Birthday Google!
• Why is the U.S. Falling Behind in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics? [INFOGRAPHIC]
• This Week In Events: November 9 – 14

That number is up from $528M raised in Q4 of last year, and is on track with the nationwide numbers, which went up 22% from 2010 to 2011. Of course, money in the abstract is all well and good — especially money in those amounts. But, it’s much more interesting to talk about where that money came from, and where it went. Here are a few of the most fascinating financial facts on that front.

• San Diego companies raised the most in the region, taking in a total of $262.1M compared to the $226.75M invested in companies in Los Angeles.

• The investors most actively putting money into SoCal were Dave McClure’s 500 Startups, Versant Ventures, Frazier Healthcare and Technology Ventures and New Enterprise Associates, all of which coincidentally had three investments each in SoCal.

• The most active SoCal-based investors include Avalon Ventures, Revolution Ventures and GRP Partners.

• Fisker Automotive, Razer USA, AcuFocus and SolarReserve were among the biggest recipients of investment funds during the quarter. Of those, the only company based in LA proper is SolarReserve, which raised $27.0M. The other companies are located in San Diego and the OC.

• The Biotechnology industry had the most investments with $207M. In contrast, Media and Entertainment only say $55.3M in investment deals.

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• Mac People Vs PC People [infographic]
• iPad 2 Wireless HD Output Hack Makes The Ultimate Presentation Device
• Violet Mae Heads to Fiji, Paris

Essentially, Nerve Dating aims to rid online dating of the awkward first message, and contrived communication that takes place on regular dating sites – in lieu of making it really easy to start conversations. In other words, Nerve Dating doesn’t give you the feeling that you’re on a blind date.

• Gimmicks, algorithms, love formulas, or pseudoscientific references have been kicked to the curb, in favor of the kind of conversations that get real relationships going. The Nerve Dating Team thought about best way to meet people offline, and built a site to reflect this – similar to being at a party, where it’s easy to meet interesting people and start chatting to them about different topics – gigs, books, films, favorite LA bars, whether or not they think Little Bear is overrated, or whether The Jersey Shore is a depressing reflection of today’s society or reality TV gold.

• The look, feel and overall experience feels different. The features users can interact with, read and answer are editorially curated by journalists. The Nerve MD Sean Mills, was President of The Onion prior to starting at Nerve, and his time there greatly influenced the look, feel and tone of Nerve Dating. Suffice it to say, it doesn’t feel or sound like many other generic dating sites.

• Signing up is simple and painless. The ‘mini bio’ allows members to share a little about themselves in 141 characters, so there’s no need to hone your essay writing skills. Your profile builds up based on your interaction with the site.

The latest round of investors include Lerer Ventures, Firstmark Capital and Steven Johnson.

For more information on Nerve Dating, check out their site here.

You can also follow Nerve on Twitter @Nerve and Facebook.

Previously on lalawag:

• Co-Working in Santa Monica
• Tech Headlines For May 4th: Spotify Adds iPod Support, AT&T Rep Confirms No New iPhone in June, Apple Releases iOS 4.3.3
• Where are all the E-books With Color Pictures?

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• LA Startup Spotlight: Ovia
• lalawag Puts An End To Funemployment
• Pasadena Jazz

Musk, who co-founded PayPal and is also the founder behind SpaceX and Tesla Motors, will be keynoting the school’s graduation ceremony on June 15th. According to SoCalTech, Musk will be discussing the ways ”brilliant, big ideas can and will have a positive impact in the world.”

Caltech President Jean-Lou Chameau said the university reached out to Musk because of his game-changing work. “Elon Musk is a visionary business leader and innovator who is spearheading revolutionary ideas in three global industries—automobiles, energy, and space exploration. He is a powerful proponent of science and technology, and will share with Caltech graduates his perspective on how their brilliant, big ideas can and will have a positive impact in the world,” Chameau said. ”Musk has demonstrated how talent, intelligence, and active leadership—notable traits that Caltech graduates also share—are vital to shaping the future of our world.”

SoCal Tech also pointed out that Musk is a great fit for Caltech thanks to one of his pursuits in particular — SpaceX. SpaceX develops commercial rockets, and is currently gearing up for its first mission to the International Space Station, to commence in February. Caltech runs the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which helped develop some of America’s first rockets.

Angelenos — and the world — can watch Musk talk about SpaceX and much more when he takes the stage on June 15, as Caltech live streams the ceremony on their website. No caps and gowns required.

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• New App on iTunes: RunInjuryFree Now Available!
• Wild Things on the iPhone
• Loren Bendele from Savings.com Talks About The Online Deal Industry

Here’s how the service works: if a friend spots a suicidal thought on someone’s page, he can report it to Facebook by clicking a link next to the comment. Facebook then sends an email to the person who posted the suicidal comment encouraging them to call the hotline or click on a link to begin a confidential chat.

The service is the latest tool from Facebook aimed at improving safety on its site, which has more than 800 million users. Earlier this year, the giant social network announced changes to how users report bullying, offensive content and fake profiles.

READ MORE

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• “Don’t Tax Me Bro”
• 2009 Predictions Revisited
• Is Venture Capital Right for You?

The search giant’s move was most likely prompted by its interest to be in friendly terms with copyright holders, such as major movie and music studios.  “While there is no silver bullet for infringement online, this measure is one of several that we have implemented to curb copyright infringement online,” stated Google manager of global communications and public affairs Mistique Cano in an interview with TorrentFreak. “This is something we looked at and thought we could make some narrow and relatively easy changes to our Autocomplete algorithm that could make a positive difference.”

Google has been filtering “piracy-related” terms from its ‘Autocomplete‘ and ‘Instant‘ services since January 2011.

READ MORE

Previously on lalawag:

• Rumor Alert: An iPhone with a Slide-out Keyboard
• Google’s New Cloud-based Music App Leaked
• lalawag Puts An End To Funemployment

While the preliminary injunction doesn’t appear to limit Apple’s sales in Europe for now, its German sales “will be impacted,” according to Foss Patents’ Florian Mueller, if the company fails to get a stay on the ruling.

The court says that Motorola can pay 100 million euros ($134 million) as bond to enforce the ruling against Apple Sales International, an Ireland-based division of the company that handles its European sales, while it makes its way through the appeals process.

“We are pleased with the court’s ruling,” Motorola Mobility senior vice president and general counsel Scott Offer said in a statement. The decision “validates Motorola Mobility’s efforts to enforce its patents against Apple’s infringement.”
READ MORE

Previously on lalawag:

• iCloud’s Music Service Could be Awesome
• The Answer Bitch: Myspace Is Like a Lebanese Disco
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In addition, you’ll also see the movie poster, a short summary, ratings and the nearest theaters and showtimes for each movie. This information instantly updates as you slide through the movie posters – no need to wait for a page to load or to use the back button. Tap the movie title to find details like the cast and a full summary. A play button on the movie poster means you can tap to view the official trailer. Plus you can purchase your tickets directly from your smartphone by tapping on underlined showtimes.

You can try the new interactive results for movies by visiting Google.com on your iOS or Android phone’s browser.

READ MORE

Previously on lalawag:

• New Video Game Studio: Jupiter Moon Launches in 3, 2, 1…
• Microsoft Office Prank
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1. Samsung is the big man on campus. Thin laptops, the Galaxy Note, beautiful TVs decorated their expansive booth. Galaxy Note Ateliers were sprinkled around in which artists used Galaxy Notes to sketch conference goers – lines were miles long.
2. Gesture driven TV control is here. FruitNinja demos had users chopping apples and passion fruits using their arms and legs all over the place. Many OEM companies are eyeing the casual interactive gaming market, inching toward Microsoft  territory.
3. TVs, in search of the next reason to drive consumer upgrades, have made some big steps. Super OLED displays are lovely but expensive at $8k for a 60inch. Thin bezels are in. Samsung has just a quarter inch bezel on the Series 8. 3D TV is getting better and gaming is the killer app. Playing EA’s NBA 2012 in 3D was a revelation.
4. Verizon’s consumer booth was an afterthought. Instead, the carrier focused on selling the value of it’s 4G LTE network to enterprises, retailers, healthcare institutions and security customers. Quite a departure from last year’s consumer Android bonanza.
5. Motorola also focused on enterprise use cases, releasing a tool to compete with Dropbox for remote file access and demonstrating video conference integration with Polycom. Motorola’s XYBoard Android tablets are compelling.
6. Mobile OSes are influencing desktop OSes and TV OSes. Microsoft Windows 8 is refreshingly simple. The best interactive TVs are powered by Android. Everything is app driven. Filesystems have vanished.

Previously on lalawag:

• Tech Headlines For May 4th: Spotify Adds iPod Support, AT&T Rep Confirms No New iPhone in June, Apple Releases iOS 4.3.3
• ITVFest 2010 Schedule Announced
• This Week In Events: June 8- 12

The first episode features an interview with the CEO of XOJET, Blair LaCorte.  Founded in 2006, XOJET became one of the fastest-growing private aviation companies in history, growing 130% in the past 3 years. Today XOJET serves more than 3,500 customers by operating their own aircraft and combining private jet membership and on-demand jet charter with the highest levels of service at every point of their customer’s experience.

LaCorte states that XOJET is all about technology: “We wired all of our planes as active routers. So all of them are wireless…We also issued all of our pilots with iPads, and we are the first in the world to do that. So they can actually FaceTime, video conference for questioning…and we’re also the largest owner/operator of jets in the world.”

Watch what else LaCorte has to say about XOJET, and also see Draper and LaCorte practice the Valley Girl fire drill!

The second episode in the series features an interview with Stefanie Michaels, also known as @adventuregirl. Michaels is a Twitter phenomenon with over 1.5 million Twitter followers and has been named one of Vanity Fair’s “Tweethearts.” She’s the go-to gal for all things and adventure, and has created an amazing brand by using social media.

“In the early 90′s I launched a website called TravelPartners.com. I had a nice male demographic that started calling me adventure girl because they were following my real life adventures and where I was going and what I was doing…It kind of premised a web show based off my adventures.”

To see what adventures Michaels has had and to hear some great travel advice watch the episode here:

Travel week for “The Valley Girl Show” finishes off strong with Adam Goldstein, co-founder of Hipmunk, a startup that recently raised a $4.2 million Series A from such investors as Ashton Kutcher.  Goldstein speaks with Jesse about the company and how it simplifies booking travel online by cutting through the noise.  According to Goldstein, “The process of traveling is agonizing enough. You shouldn’t have to go through even more agony when you’re searching for travel.”  Draper and Goldstein have some fun talking like “hipmunks” and playing with “hipmunks”.

But why is this company called Hipmunk you might be wondering? See what Goldstein says in the interview:

Previously on lalawag:

• New App – Send Postcards When You’re “On The Run”
• Top Headline Recap: All the Tech News You Need To Know
• Events This Week: September 21 -26

Bunny Popper tells the story of mischievous inflatable bunnies from outer space that invade a carrot farm in order to feed their tyrannical overload. It’s up to you to pop all of the bunnies and save the crop.

This game offers you 20 different levels to play with 16 unlockable rewards. Some of the features include: high resolution 3D graphics, whimsical sound design, a variety of comical characters, and game-play that is engaging for players of all ages.

The creators, Christopher Cherubini and David Chiapperino, are industry veterans (worked at Infinity Ward and Disney respectively). Together they established Jupiter Moon Entertianment LLC in order to bring their original ideas of story and game play to life.

Bunny Popper is available on the iPad App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bunny-popper/id490447459?mt=8&ls=1. Be one of the first to get this new game.

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• Twiistup 6: The List
• Technology Helps Disney Crowd Control At Theme Parks
• Jessica Gottlieb: Mommy Blogger Extraordinaire

CEO and Founder of Border Stylo, Diego Prats (check out the Lalawag post about Border Stylo here), answered a few questions about the beta launch of his new product Spire.io.

Give us a brief description of your company.

We’re an LA-based startup that makes building Web and Mobile apps easier for developers by providing the industry’s premium REST-based APIs and client libraries (www.spire.io).

Remind us about your products GLASS and the app RETROLLECT and what they are exactly.

We are still maintaining GLASS and Retrollect, and even launched iPhone and iPad versions as well as other goodies, but our focus is entirely on Spire now. We’ve done a lot of work around Web and mobile applications in the past with the idea of eventually introducing APIs for developers.

What is the new product your company is introducing?

Spire: www.spire.io.

Our first API is for a realtime messaging service and we’re rolling out a registration and login service soon. All our APIs our REST-based with platform and scenario-specific client libraries to help accelerate development. Our goal is to make the developer experience as smooth and enjoyable as we can. We’re currently in open beta and we love to hear from developers about how we can make our services even better.

What was your inspiration behind this new product?

Our dedication to a platform move was always the end-goal (http://lalawag.com/2011/01/25/la-startup-spotlight-diego-prats-ceo-of-borderstylo-glass/). That being said, three thing stand out:

1. We wanted to have a real impact in the world. We could either build a successful product which moves the industry or we could help improve the way that apps are built across the industry. We chose the latter.

2. We dedicated a lot of energy, research, and work into some small details of Glass and other apps which we could really help others more, so we should share them.

3. We actively use other services to helps us dedicate to what we do best, ever more every year. We are all the better for it. If we can save someone headaches like people have saved us, then we did well.

How does this product stand above the competition or what special features about it make it unique?

1. Quality: our APIs are truly REST-based, powered by a state-of-the-art evented worker architecture, built on Node.js, designed to grow and evolve with you as a developer.

2. Comprehensiveness: We support both Web and mobile development, and our APIs and client libraries increasingly support a variety of common scenarios that developers face. It’s not one-size fits all.

3. Security: This is really part of quality, but one of the hardest things to provide. We do EVERYTHING over HTTPS – it doesn’t cost extra. And we use a state-of-the-art approach to security based on capability security.

What’s the hardest/best thing about being an entrepreneur?

Hardest thing: Channeling creativity via simplicity and clarity creativity into doing just one thing. And making sure everyone from the Board of Directors to Engineering team to Biz Ops know what that one thing is.

Best Thing: The people I work with.

What’s one of your most successful decisions? Can you share something that’s worked really well for you that you think other entrepreneurs could learn from?

Something which has worked well: To cut out anything that I cannot explain or appreciate simply and clearly.

also listening Thomas Dunlap’s adventures (@spladow).

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• Avatar Dating in Azeroth
• Geek Out With Shira Lazar
• LeWeb 2008: Paris is for Lover$

Summarizing the report in an article today, the LA Times said “There were 522 venture-backed exits last year –  a 4% slip from the year before. But together, they netted $53.2 billion – a 26% increase. That’s because the prices paid for young companies and the amount raised in initial public offerings spiked in 2011.”

Additionally, the median price for merger and buyout deals in 2011 went up to $71 million this year, a 77% increase on last year. The 45 companies that went public in 2011 raised $5.4 billion. 60 venture-backed companies in the U.S. are currently in IPO registration, waiting for their turn in the stock market spotlight.

On the acquisition front, 13% fewer companies were purchased in 2011 versus 2010. However, the $46.4 billion those deals represented was 30% higher than the 2010 numbers.

The LA Times article also quoted Dow jones VentureSource’s global research director Jessica Canning, who summed up the year in venture capital by saying “Companies are benefiting from lower start-up costs by taking capital farther toward a larger acquisition.”

Previously on lalawag:

• New App – Send Postcards When You’re “On The Run”
• Top Headline Recap: All the Tech News You Need To Know
• HEADLINES: The Verizon iPad, New Layoffs at MySpace

According to the LA Times, the wave of arsons was the worst since the 1992 riots.

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And, because nothing says ‘Happy New Year’ quite like a year-in-review list, here’s a few interesting facts from the Goole Zeitgeist 2011 edition.

• ‘Rebecca Black’ tops the list of fastest rising terms globally, followed by ‘Google Plus’

• ‘MySpace’ is #1 on the list of fastest falling terms, followed by ‘Hi5′ and ‘Mebo’

• ‘Wendy’s', ‘Just Eat’ and ‘Little Caesars’ are the top 3 on the food & drink list

• ‘Pippa Middleton’ is number three on the fastest rising people list. Her sister Kate is way down in the number 10 spot, right below Osama Bin Laden and Charlie Sheen.

• ‘Amazon Kindle Fire’ was number one on the consumer electronics list. ‘iPad 2′ was number six and ‘iPad 3′ brings the list home at number 10.

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• SXSW: Collect the lalawag Playing Cards

From Elizabeth Taylor to Ryan Dunn, the list varies greatly in terms of content and content creators. But, in this age of unprecedented access to the private thoughts of Tweeting celebrities, it’s a fitting tribute to some of the great icons we lost in the past year.

In fact, the poignancy of this list comes from the fact that the Tweets themselves aren’t particularly poignant at all. They’re mostly mundane, observational or outright self promotional. In other words, these last tweets aren’t any different from any other tweets. Which makes them that much more interesting — and affecting.

A few examples:

• “Somebody convince me to stay with ATT. What do they offer that’s better than even metro pcs? #effit” – Patrice O’Neal

• “My interview in Bazaar with Kim Kardashian came out!!!j.mp/eqQsGa“ - Elizabeth Taylor

• “American Idol Finale May 25, Gaga & Big Man “The Edge of Glory” Really look forward to this one!!! much love” – Clarence Clemons

• “Premier of proving ground tonight at 8 on G4tumblr.com/xxt2zz0obm” – Ryan Dunn

Previously on lalawag:

• Shorty Awards: Helping Make Twitter Even More Useless
• This Week In Events: November 2 – 7
• Is Android More Vulnerable to Viruses Than the iPhone?

1. How would you describe grubwithus?
Grubwithus gets people offline to socialize in the real world over
food. It sounds odd to use the word “real,” but these days there are
so many ways to “socialize” online. It’s important to keep “real”
human interactions alive — we need to keep it real.

Behind the scenes, we are working with the best restaurants to create
unique tasting menus and developing a site that transfers all the
hassle of eating out from the user’s hands to ours.

2. How do you recommend someone use grubwithus?
There are several ways you can use Grubwithus and that’s why it’s so
special. The use cases are endless — you can use the platform to meet
new people when you move to a new city, meet someone special, network
with people with a similar interest, or even plan a hassle-free meal
for a group. We recommend to use Grubwithus whenever you think of
eating out with people, whether it be with friends or interesting
strangers that you’d like to get to know.

3. Do you love food? Are you a foodie?
I do love food, but don’t consider myself a foodie. I’m a huge fan of
trying new spots that I hear are good, but oftentimes can’t because
it’s so hard to gather a group together. Just another use case for
Grubwithus — I can now try places that I’ve always wanted to try and
not have to wait for friends. Although, eating alone is totally
acceptable, eating with others to share in the experience is
exponentially better.

4. Do you have any favorite foodie blogs?
I have a lot of favorite tech blogs, but not foodie. I appreciate good
food when I have the opportunity to try amazing places, but these days
with my schedule, eating needs to be out of convenience. I literally
choose the best place that is closest to where I am and just eat
there.

In the future, Grubwithus’ iPhone app will allow me to see all of the
meals taking place near me and who I can be eating with. Choosing a
restaurant won’t just be based on reviews and ratings anymore.

5. Are you making money or how do you plan on making money?
Grubwithus makes money by negotiating better prices with the
restaurants, then charging a small fee, so that users pay something at
or less than what they would pay if they went in on their own. We’ve
designed it this way to ensure the restaurant makes money, while also
keeping Grubbers happy.

6. What is your favorite food and how do you like to eat it? Is there a
restaurant that makes it best?
I tend to eat a lot (and my metabolism is slowing down), so this is an
interesting question. I like super fatty foods, which my body is
telling me to get away from. For fatty foods (which my heart desires),
I love Italian beef sandwiches and am a big fan of Portillos in
Chicago. I can also go for a great taco from Don Antonios or Titos,
both in LA. For healthy food, I love anywhere that can prepare good
fish. For raw, I like Hide Sushi (LA) and for cooked, I like the
Original Fish Company (LA), but mainly because that’s where my parents
love to go.

7. What have you discovered through grubwithus?
I’ve discovered friends. Originally, we engineered Grubwithus to solve
our own problem: we were new to Chicago and had no friends.
Fast-forward a year and I’ve now grubbed with hundreds of people, many
of which I keep in touch with and hang out with occasionally. It’s an
awesome feeling.

8. Where do you see grubwithus in 5 years?
The vision we have for Grubwithus is huge, but we are concentrated on
taking things one step at a time. The simple answer is that we want
people to think of Grubwithus whenever they are thinking of what to
do. We want to be one of the choices for people when someone asks,
“What do you want to do tonight?”

9. What are you the most excited about?
I’m most excited about the people who are adopting our platform; it’s
amazing how awesome they are. These early adopters will be the key to
the success of Grubwithus and I am so grateful for them. I am also
excited about the space we are in. As technology gets better, human
interaction will be less and less “needed,” but it’s important to push
through and leverage these new technologies to make it actually easier
to interact face-to-face. We think we are headed in the right
direction and we think the response has been great.

Previously on lalawag:

• Wallop Recovers To Buy EtchStar
• Samsung Hit 300 Million Mobile Sales in 2011
• How Much Profit Are Phone Makers Making?

Collins, who was 59, made his name with a proprietary system for predicting the surf. He used that system as the basis for Huntington Beach-based Surfline.com, which quickly became the go-to place for surfers looking to find the next big swell.

According to the LA Times, Surfline gets nearly 1.5 million unique visitors a month, and is used by everyone from the U.S. Coast Guard to the National Weather Service. Prior to founding Surfline, Collins worked as a waiter, a bartender and an amateur surf photographer — all the while chasing his passion, the waves.

With a few meteorology courses from Long Beach City College under his belt, Collins spent hours studying surf patterns to develop his prediction systems. In 1990, he founded Surfline and in 1995, he launched it on the web.

Collins is survived by his wife and sons, as well as the entire Surfline organization.

In a statement published by the OC Register, the Surfline team said “With heavy hearts we must announce that Sean Collins, Surfline’s founder, president & chief forecaster has passed away. Sean’s many accomplishments in surf science and forecasting made him one of the most influential surfers of our time. Surfline’s entire staff- as well as countless surfers worldwide- are in a state of shock at the news.”

Previously on lalawag:

• Web 2.0 Expo: Highlights
• LA Blogger Spotlight: Jenn Wong of Wayofthewong.com
• Google Ranks 2011 In Terms Of Search

According to the FundaGeek website, founder Daniel Gutierrez and his team feel the recession has caused a lot of great technical ideas to stall due to lack of funding. FundaGeek hopes to solve that problem by crowdsourcing the funding process for startups and scientists.

“FundaGeek is the first Crowd Funding resource designed expressly for technical innovation – commercial projects based on technology, as well as basic research projects at universities and research institutions. FundaGeek is designed for securing funding for these projects without giving up equity interest and without incurring debt. Funding is provided via micro-pledges through use of social media in return for rewards.”

The platform itself is relatively simple. Geeks post their great ideas on FundaGeek for free, and folks around the world pledge money to support it. Current projects looking for funders on the site include a ‘Make Your Own Headlamp’ kit, an organization that provides computer gear to veterans and the Borneo Soundscape Project.

When a project gets funded, FundaGeek applies a 5% fee to all funds raised. Companies can also choose a Premium Marketing Resources package that comes with a 9% fee.

Previously on lalawag:

• The Starbucks Across the Street: Yelp Just Made Foursquare Huge
• The Top 10 Most Social Shows On TV
• This Week In Events: May 3rd – 8th

Of course, like any good gadget connoisseur, you probably didn’t read the manual. Which means you’re likely due for a few fun new tricks to make that shiny new gadget live up to its full potential — and price tag. Fortunately, the web’s got you covered. Below is a selection of the best stories currently circling the web about how to get the most joy of your new toy.

iPhone & iPad:

• 5 Simple (But Hidden!) Tricks All The New iPhone/iPad Owners Should Know via TechCrunch
• The Best iPhone Apps of 2011 via The New York Times
• The Apps Every iPad Should Have via CNET
• Got an iPhone 4S For Christmas? Have Some Fun With Siri via Mashable

Android:

• Did You Get A New Android Phone? Do These Five Things Immediately via Mashable
• Tips, Tricks For Any Android Device via CNET
• Set Up & Get To Know Your Android Phone via Lifehacker

Kindle:

• Set Up Your Kindle Fire For Tiny Tablet Awesomeness via Gizmodo
• So You Got A Kindle Fire? Try Out Our First Timer Guide via Mashable
• Kindle Fire Setup: Key Apps, Settings & More For Your New Amazon Tablet via Huffington Post

Digital Camera:

• So You Got A Fancy New Camera: Here’s How To Use It via Gizmodo
• How To Use Your New Digital Camera via TechRadar

Previously on lalawag:

• Friday Fun: Draw My Tweet
• Techmeme Hires Conan O’Brien’s Writers
• How Steve Jobs ‘out-Japanned’ Japan

Alyssa answered some questions for Lalawag about Sweteez and about being a startup entrepreneur. Read below to find out more about her and the company.

What exactly is Sweteez?

Sweteez is the world’s first antimicrobial fitness towel with a zippered compartment to organize your belongings while taking part in your activity of choice to simplify your workout! Sweteez is made in the 100% made in the U.S.A. to create more jobs and opportunities for our country.

How did you come up with this idea?

I was at the gym with my mom one day, and I saw that she brought in her own workout towel. Along with the towel, she brought in her keys, iPod, and membership card (basic items you keep with you when you go to the gym). Her belongings kept falling on the floor and she would sometimes leave them behind at a previous machine. She was frustrated that there was no place for her to store her belongings while keeping them close at hand. That is where the idea of a compartmentalized towel was born! Once the idea was formed, I factored in other issues that we face at the gym such as bacteria and germs. After extensive research, we came up with the concept of an antimicrobial agent worked into our idea of the compartmentalized towel.

Why is this a premium towel? How does it stand out from the competition?

Sweteez towels are spa quality towels with a plush feel, the antimicrobial solution we use is proven to be safe and long lasting for approximately 100 washes, and our towel has storage capability. Other towels are cheaply made, have no storage whatsoever, and they are made with silver or heavy metals that fight germs that do not have the capability to last and have many negative side effects.

What is the Sweteez Studio?

The Sweteez Studio is an open forum for individuals that provides my weekly blog, a photo gallery where clients and followers of Sweteez can post pictures of them using their towel or enjoying their favorite workout, and also a place to get involved and give feedback. I feel it is important to get feedback and create relationships with people in order to really connect with them to create change, and that is what Sweteez is all about.

How big is yourteam?

Sweteez has 8 people involved with the company.

Can you describe your company’s culture?

We are entrepreneurs who are always trying to expand our knowledge by learning from each other and following our visions. We test ideas, take calculated risks, probe, and learn.

How did your company get its initial funding?

Sweteez was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to get Angel financing.

Do you have any advice for emerging startups on how to deal with funding?

Find someone who wants to help because they know you and believe in you, rather than someone looking at the investment as strictly business. Be crafty and thrifty. Bootstrap your operation with credit cards, extended credit and cash flow management.

Who are your 3 most inspirational entrepreneurs?

My 3 most inspirational entrepreneurs are Alvin Ailey, Steve Jobs, and Coco Chanel. Each of these individuals thrived in their own craft but had the same philosophy: follow your vision. Those are words that I live by, and these three entrepreneurs were not only an inspiration as business professionals, but as incredible human beings.

Has your company ever had to pivot? If so, what was that like?

Yes we did. We retargeted our market toward athletic types and fitness professionals after our first tradeshow. The general public couldn’t discern the benefits and thought it was just a towel, therefore we needed to go in a new direction so we could show what Sweteez is really about and how it could change their lives.

What are your next goals? (Either for the current venture or for the company as a whole)

My goal is to have Sweteez be the most reliable and used fitness towel in the country. I want to spread awareness so active individuals can protect themselves from germs and continue on with what they love to do. I want Sweteez to not only represent a product, but to represent a way of life.

What is your favorite workout to do? (With your Sweteez on hand of course!)

As a Professional Dancer and Pilates Instructor, I use my Sweteez everyday! The beauty of Sweteez is that I can take a dance or Pilates class and not have to bring in a bag or purse with me. I can focus on my passion and have Sweteez by my side!

Watch this YouTube video to find out more about Sweteez: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZNp3dLJMso

Make sure to also follow the company on Twitter @Sweteez and Like them on Facebook.

Previously on lalawag:

• Obama: iPad Distracts Us from How Horrible Things Are
• Nobody Cares What I’m Doing Because I’m Not at SXSW
• Women Who Tech Annual TeleSummit

I am a Teen in Tech. Don’t believe me? I’d tell you to check my driver’s license, but I don’t have one yet.

What I do have is a big sister who already works in tech. Specifically, she’s a Product Manager at BetterWorks and a writer for Lalawag too. One day, I hope to join her as a real, live, working tech nerd. My dream is to go to CalTech and end up with an engineering degree. Hopefully, I can get a job — as her boss.

So, when she asked if I wanted to go to the Teens in Tech conference, I readily accepted. And, when she asked if I’d like to share what I learned on Lalawag, I said yes to that too. It’s probably the first time in our entire sibling relationship I’ve said yes to so many of her ideas so quickly.

Held last Saturday at the Microsoft Office in downtown LA, the Teens in Tech conference featured a wide array of speakers, ranging from seasoned angel investor Paige Craig to adolescent startup CEO Zak Kukoff. Across the board, all the speakers shared the same core message — it’s not enough to be a teen interested in tech. If you want to succeed, you have to be a teen in tech. Really in it. Dirty hands and all.

Of course, that wasn’t my only takeaway from the conference. Below are the top five things I learned at the Teens in Tech conference. Enjoy! (I know I did).

1. If you want to be a teen in tech, don’t just study it in school. All of the speakers at the conference spoke about their belief that age can be used as an asset in the tech business, but only if one is actually working in the tech business. That requires coming up with a creative, original concept and creating a marketable product out of it. In other words, learn by doing. Many of the speakers at the conference have promising young startups, and have taken leaves of absence from major colleges and universities around the world to run those companies out of their bedrooms. And even those that didn’t start in tech, started by doing something — Paige Craig talked about starting in his family business at a young age, an experience that helped shape his lifelong career as an entrepreneur. Moral of the story: more often than not, hands on experience (wherever and whatever you can get of it) beats book learning. Just don’t quote that to my english teacher.

2. As a young entrepreneur, the best way to start thinking about what you should be building is to start by solving your own problems first. In his presentation, Gumroad Founder Sahil Lavingia described his definition of success — doing what you love, and making money doing it . Gumroad is a site that allows people to pay money for downloads, and Sahil came up with the concept for Gumroad after he created a design in Photoshop and discovered that there was no technology that would allow him to easily sell that link. So, Sahil solved his own problem when he created Gumroad. And, now he’s doing what he loves building the site and figuring out ways to make money from it. Case in point.

3. Age differentiates you. Many young teen CEOS, including TruantToday and AutismAmbassadors Founder Zak Kukoff, mentioned that they are often one of only a few teens in a given room. Because of this, they get a lot of adult attention at conferences and events. For many of these teens, this attention is a useful tool for getting access and audiences for their ideas. Zak got the idea for TruantToday after learning that public schools lose state and federal funding per student per day every time a student is truant. So, he created TruantToday, a service that sends a text message to a student’s parents whenever that student cuts class. Not only did Zak’s age give him the unique perspective which inspired this idea, but it also helped him stand out when discussing it and helped garner himself and his company attention as a result.

4. Build personal connections early and follow up immediately and often! As teens, many of the speakers at the conference had to work much harder to prove themselves in a largely adult world. Sure, they all agreed that there were advantages to their relatively young age. But, they also agreed that their age came with an understandable lack of experience — one that they all compensated for by finding great mentors in the tech world. Across the board, the speakers at Teens in Tech stressed a few key techniques to finding mentors at tech conferences, events, etc: prioritize who you want to talk to, build a close personal connection, then follow up in a timely manner. This helped them get ahead much faster than others who had been in the business much longer.

5. Master Photoshop, learn how to hack Google, and be a storyteller. This trifecta of good advice came from LA tech guru Sean Percival, who advocated the need to learn photoshop as a quick tool to easily visualize the way a site should look. He also spoke about the need for “ego seo,” or a good self-presence on Google, and described learning how to do basic SEO using simple skills, like the Google toolset. Mr. Percival also urged us young teens to be storytellers. Because, after all, people respond best to a good narrative, and someone who can give them that is someone others on the web will want to listen to and respect.

Previously on lalawag:

• What You Need To Know About The Nintendo 3DS Launch Announcement
• California Launches State News Aggregator
• How To Get Laid With Twitter

Previously on lalawag:

• 10 Most Entertaining SXSWi Panel Submissions
• Live Coverage: Apple’s ‘Come See Our Latest Creation’ Event
• Chatroulette Means Nothing, You Pretentious Media Commentator

The event consisted of the premiere, followed by cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction of photographs shot by Behati Prinsloo as well as other well-known names in the fashion and art communities.

“Letters to Haiti” documents Rocha and Prinsloo’s trip to the island nation last year on behalf of LakayPAM’s charitable programs in Haiti. The film takes a look at how the children of the country are being affected since the devastating earthquake that struck the small island in January of 2010. To watch the film in its entirety, click on this link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKM-sK4ALdY

LakayPAM is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 by Cedrick Roche, Carolina Bittencourt and Mathias Youbi. There are a charitable organization dedicated to helping over 500 poor children meet their basic needs (shelter, food, medical care, education and youth sporting programs). For more information log onto http://www.lakaypam.org/

In addition, photos from the event can be found at this link: http://www.wireimage.com/search/#events?q=letters%20to%20haiti%20premiere&s=1

Previously on lalawag:

• Twitter Is Profitable. Your Argument Is Invalid.
• #SXSW: Don’t Miss the ValleyGirl.TV and Tubefilter.com Party
• Tech Community Helps Bust MobileRSS For Blatant Design Theft of Reeder

Gaming today is primarily dominated by expensive blockbuster console games like Call of Duty, online RPG’s like Warcraft, and social games like Zynga’s Farmville, but Bushnell thinks that the future is in “augmented reality” games.  “Think of your iPhone or your Android as being a portal into a parallel universe,” Bushnell says with child-like excitement.  “You know, there may be monsters in this room, but you don’t know it because you can only see them through this portal.”  You can almost see the endless possibilities spinning through his mind as he thinks of the ways that cell phones are changing the game.

Many industry analysts agree and are beginning to see mobile gaming as the future.  Earlier this week, in fact, OnLive launched a cloud-based mobile gaming platform that many game publishers, like Rockstar, are already flocking to.  It makes sense, today’s smartphones have great computing power, microphones, photo and video capabilities, touch screens, and internet connectivity.  Most importantly, mobile phones are pretty much always with you, making gaming more accessible than ever.

What’s next for Bushnell?  He’s working on a revolutionary new approach to education that’s based on computer delivered curriculums.  “We’ve taken the school experience and really turned it upside down to make it efficient,” he says.  If he’s able to make homework as fun and popular as Atari’s video games, he might just be onto something.

To watch the full interview with Nolan Bushnell on “The Valley Girl Show” with Jesse Draper, click below.

Previously on lalawag:

• Why It’s Scary that Facebook Fan Pages Get 50 Million Likes A Day
• Hawthorne-based SpaceX Has Successful Spacecraft Launch
• Follow Me If You Want To Live!

Previously on lalawag:

• Twitterbattle: Ashton Kutcher vs Larry King
• Michael Jackson: King of Pop
• It’s All About The Connections

To help celebrate and reward Android customers, Google is running a promotion over the next 10 days.  The company will sell apps that normally cost between 99 cents and $6.99 for only 10 cents each. Google is kicking off the promotion with deals on: Asphalt 6 HD, Color & Draw for Kids, Endomondo Sports Tracker Pro, Fieldrunners HD, Great Little War Game, Minecraft, Paper Camera, Sketchbook Mobile, Soundhound Infinity and Swiftkey X.

Previously on lalawag:

• LaunchpadLA Picks the Next 10
• Digital Hollywood Conference
• So, Interwebs…How ‘Bout Them Dodgers?

The app has since evolved to include magazine-quality advertising as well as the ability to include multiple accounts on a single device. Now the company has finally decided to bring its news-and-photo experience to a second device with the iPhone. For the iPhone app launch, the Flipboard team has added a new section called Cover Stories. The Flipboard team wants Cover Stories to be first place users open to discover content being shared by their friends on social networks like Twitter and Facebook. Flipboard has also added Tumblr and 500px connections, as well as multiple accounts that would let users’ family members get in on the Flipboard action. Users can also login from a personal, cloud-based account extends via their iPhones now too.

According to Flipboard CEO Mike McCue in a statement, “The iPad is an amazing device that challenged us to rethink how people discover and share social news. With the iPhone we redesigned Flipboard for a new use case, where people want to find the things they care about even faster and multiple times every day. Flipboard for iPhone puts all the power of Flipboard in your pocket.”

Previously on lalawag:

• Geeks Want To Rock And Roll All Night
• Michael Jackson: King of Pop
• Cinesamples: The Future of Virtual Instruments

The first issue covers Captain America’s death at the height of the Second World War.  As you may or may not know from the upcoming movie trailers, he was a below-average guy who volunteered to participate in a trial that made him a super-soldier (he jokes about the scientists pumping him with steroids in one panel).  He leads a team of Allied soldiers to a secret Nazi base, which is about to launch a hydrogen bomb—though they are unable to stop the launch, “Cap”, as his friend affectionately calls him, manages to board the launching missile and sabotages it during flight. It’s safe to assume that he does in the ensuing explosion—hydrogen bombs super powerful.  That’s the last anyone sees of him.  Flash-forward to the present day (2002 at the time), where business mogul Tony Stark is climbing the Himalayas on a vacation of sorts.  The first issue ends here.

An interesting start to a new title—comics have a habit of rewriting their history every once in a while to keep things fresh, killing characters here and there, bringing them back when convenient (just look at the whole DC Universe: Superman has died at least twice and has at least three origin stories. Why? Because there are apparently multiple universes where he exists and discovers his identity in different ways.  The “multiverse” has been recreated twice).  What I like most about the whole “Ultimates” universe is both subtle changes to classic characters (ages, attitude/personality/costume design) and the art.  The inkers and artists did a great job updating the looks of the heroes, as well as giving a look of three-dimensionality to the drawings.

Previously on lalawag:

• The Six Characteristics of Startup Communities
• The Starbucks Across the Street: Yelp Just Made Foursquare Huge
• SoCal Venture Capitalists Invested $603.2M In Q3 2011

Internet

Facebook and the FTC reached an agreement to resolve the 7 privacy complaints outlined below. Separately, the European Commission is expected to release a directive that would require all user data based targeting to require user opt in.

• Facebook didn’t warn user that Friend Lists and other data would become public when it transitioned to a new privacy model in December 2009
• Apps can request access to almost any piece of user data, though Facebook said they could only access data they need to operate.
• The “Friends Only” privacy setting still allowed data to be accessed by third-party apps used by friends.
• The “Verified Apps” program didn’t actually verify the security of apps.
• A security bug caused Facebook to accidentally share personal data with advertisers when it promised it wouldn’t.
• Content on deactivated and deleted accounts could still be accessed despite claims to the contrary.
• Data of users in the European Union was transferred in violation of the US-EU Safe Harbor Framework.

Cyber Monday revenues reached $1B, according to comScore, up 15% y/y. 64% of orders are shipped for free, 10 points higher than last year. Average order value also increased 2.6% to $198.26.

The Internet Advertising Bureau released data indicating online ad revenue increased 22% y/y reaching $7.9B in Q32011.

Google Chrome has more users than Firefox according to StatCounter, with about 20.7% share to Firefox’s 20%. Internet Explorer is still the leader with about 40%.

YouTube updated their homepage, which now features a Facebook like social sharing stream and social sharing with both Facebook and Google Plus.

Facebook has announced an engineering office in NYC.

Mobile

3.9M Kindle Fires will be sold in Q4 2011, according to estimates by IHS, giving Amazon a 14% share of the tablet market and rendering it the most successful Android tablet maker. The iPad will sell 18.6M units in the same period.

Verizon will pay $3.6B to acquire spectrum from Comcast, TWC and Bright House. Verizon will nearly double the spectrum capacity for LTE data transmission. The deal seems to include a provision that the sellers will be permitted to use the network in an MVNO-type relationship. Sprint paid Clearwire $1.6B to help the ailing giant avoid bankruptcy. The investment will allow Sprint unfettered use of the WiMax network.

comScore reports Android represented 46% of smart phones sold in Oct, up from 42% in Jul. Apple’s share grew from 27% to 28%. In the same period, RIM fell from 22% to 17%.

Barnes and Noble reported Nook, their reading tablet, generates $220M in sales including hardware and content. Nook revenue grew 85% q/q.

CarrierIQ, Samsung and HTC have all been hit with class action lawsuits after a software engineer discovered the logging habits of CarrierIQ software includes all keystrokes, phone calls, SMS, and browsing behavior. It’s unclear whether the CarrierIQ software only logs this data or also transmits this data to a carrier/operator.

RIM will suffer a $485M one-time charge for lower than expected sales of their tablet, the PlayBook. Shares are trading at $17, down 80% from their 52 week high.

Sega has partnered with PapayaMobile to launch a new role-playing game on the mobile social network.

The latest released of Google Maps contains indoor mapping data.

Liquidity

SAP acquires SuccessFactors for $3.4B, a 52% premium over its share price of $26.52.

Facebook acquires mobile check in service GoWalla for an undisclosed amount.

Zynga increased its target raise in IPO by $500M to $1.5B and the shares are priced at a $6 to $7B valuation.

Financings

The Founder’s Fund raised their fourth fund totaling $625M.

Previously on lalawag:

• Exit Interviews: Sloane Berrent
• What You Need To Know About The Nintendo 3DS Launch Announcement
• #FFFact: The Friday Anti-Spam

Zynga Inc. is reportedly set to raise $925 million, less than previously planned, in what is still regarded as one of the largest and most hotly anticipated Internet IPOs in years.  According to a regulatory filing on Friday, Zynga plans to sell 100 million shares, or 14.3 percent of the company, at $8.50 to $10 per share. The company’s debut follows hot on the heels of Groupon Inc and LinkedIn Corp’s this year.

Based on the midpoint of Zynga’s price range, the company could raise $925 million. It had previously filed in July to raise up to $1 billion. The IPO would value the 5-year-old company, which made its name on viral games such as “FarmVille,” at a range $7.7 billion to $9.04 billion.

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AT&T, Sprint, HTC, Samsung confirm Carrier IQ in their phones

AT&T, Sprint, HTC and Samsung have confirmed that that their mobile phones integrate a controversial piece of tracking software from a company called Carrier IQ.  Last week, independent security researcher Trevor Eckhart published a report claiming that Carrier IQ’s software could be used by carriers and device makers to conduct highly intrusive tracking of Android and other smartphone users.

Both wireless carriers AT&T and Sprint have insisted that the software is being used solely to improve wireless network performance. Phone makers HTC and Samsung meanwhile said they were integrating the software into their handsets only because their carrier customers were asking for it. T-Mobile, for its part, said that it, too, uses Carrier IQ’s software, which it described as a diagnostic tool to troubleshoot device and network performance. In an email statement the company said that “T-Mobile does not use this diagnostic tool to obtain the content of text, email or voice messages, or the specific destinations of a customers’ internet activity, nor is the tool used for marketing purposes.”

On the other hand, Verizon, Research In Motion, Nokia, and several large carriers and handset makers quickly distanced themselves from the software, insisting that reports about their devices integrating the tool are false.

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Windows 8 beta set for release early next year

Sources close to Microsoft have notified them that the public Windows 8 beta will be released in late February of 2012.  There’s long been debate in the technology community regarding the timing of the public beta launch– and while many are expecting that Windows 8 will be released in 2012, the exact expected date for the completion and shipping of the forthcoming operating system remains undisclosed.

WinRumors, reporting that the release would be in late January – also added that we should expect Microsoft to demonstrate a near-final build of the beta software at CES 2012 (kicking off on January 9th), where a Metro-fied version of Office will also reportedly be revealed.

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“Joseph Saunders is a hero of mine and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to interview him and talk about what the technology company is working on now,” said Jesse Draper, Host and Producer of the “Valley Girl Show.”  “What I learned and I hope my viewers will too, is that at the end of the day Visa is a global payment technology company that enables consumers, businesses, banks and governments to connect by using digital currency.”

In the new episode, Joseph talks with Jesse about taking the company public and having the largest IPO in history.  He shares how succeeding in business is a combination of being prepared and having a little bit of luck and he chats about his favorite job, future of money, Visa’s Pay Wave and Visa’s Digital Wallet.  One of Joseph’s strongest messages during the episode is his belief that everyone has the right to privacy.  At the end of the episode, Jesse and Joseph head to the Starbuck’s machine at Visa to practice using Visa’s new Pay Wave which launches in January.

The “Valley Girl Show,” which can be compared to a business-oriented version of the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” kicked off its fourth season on November 15 with more than 50 new episodes. The witty, entertaining and informative new media web-based talk show features the world’s most influential CEOs and entrepreneurs in a fun and digestible twist to standard “business talk.” In the next few weeks Jesse interviews some of the biggest names in business and finance tech including Danny Shader (Paynearme), Jessica Mah (Indinero) and Tomas Sedlacek (The Economics of Good and Evil).  Other upcoming interviews include Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, Sandra Day O’Connor and more!

Check out the episode on “Valley Girl Show” at ValleyGirl.TV

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Microsoft already has numerous apps available for the iPad. They include Bing, MSN Onit and MSN OnPoint. There are even more available for iPhone, including Microsoft Tag, Windows Live Messenger and Wonderwall.  Office is one Microsoft’s biggest sellers, second only to Windows.

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The rollout is occurring now, and the new set of tools is expected to be available to all users in the next couple of days.  Earlier this month Google unveiled a revamped Google Reader, along with a new interface for its e-mail service.

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The proposed settlement bars Facebook from making misrepresentations about the privacy of consumers’ personal information. It also requires the social network to obtain consumers’ approval before it changes the way it shares their data, as well as requires that Facebook obtain periodic reviews of its privacy practices by an independent auditor for the next 20 years.  “Facebook is obligated to keep the promises about privacy that it makes to its hundreds of millions of users,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in a statement. “Facebook’s innovation does not have to come at the expense of consumer privacy. The FTC action will ensure it will not.”

The social network, with 800 million users world-wide, has faced repeated complaints from users that it changed policies to disclose more of their personal information without adequate notice from the company.

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Rumor mill: Japanese blog Macotakara is reporting that the next iOS handset may or may not be called the “iPhone 5″— and when it does launch it will be sporting a 4-inch display.  Citing an anonymous source, the blog is saying that Hitachi and Sony have started to ship 4-inch LCD displays for a new iOS device. In addition, the two companies are also reportedly shipping LCD screens for the iPad 3. Speculations are ripe that the next-generation tablet will be the first iPad to use Apple’s high pixel-density Retina Display technology.

Hitachi and Sony, along with Toshiba, are the Japanese companies set to merge their mobile display businesses in the first half of 2012 to form “Japan Display.”  Apple is currently sourcing next-generation iOS device displays from Taiwan-based display makers: TPK supplies about two-thirds of the touch panels for the iPhone 4S, while Wintek makes about a quarter, and Chimei Innolux makes the rest, according to reports.

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Apple’s next-generation Apple TV gets J33 codename

Looks like the next generation of Apple TV is about to become a reality.  Hints of the much-rumored product have reportedly been released today in a new beta of iOS 5.1 given to developers. According to a report by 9to5Mac, Apple gives soon to be released products a codename, such as N94 for the latest iPhone, as they move closer to release. In this case, the blog found notes in the string code that refer to the next version of Apple TV as J33.

The current Apple TV model currently features an A4 processor, which the company has since replaced in devices such as the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S with the dual-core A5.

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iPhone goes up in smoke aboard plane in Australia

Meanwhile, in not so good Apple news: an Apple iPhone reportedly spontaneously began smoking and emitting a red glow while aboard an airplane in Australia.  Passengers aboard Regional Express flight ZL319 had just arrived to their destination in Sydney, Australia on Friday when a passenger’s iPhone started “emitting a significant amount of dense smoke” shortly after the flight landed, with the smoke reportedly also accompanied by a red glow.

Fortunately, a flight attendant was able to extinguish the device, and no passengers or airline staff were injured. The phone was reportedly an iPhone 4 and is now with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau as part of its investigation.

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STEM Shortage [Infographic]

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Apple’s last financial quarter reports show sales of portable Macs representing 74% of total Mac sales, with total Mac sales reaching 4.89 million.

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Bit9’s “dirty dozen”:

1. Samsung Galaxy Mini (T-Mobile)
2. HTC Desire (U.S. Cellular)
3. Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 (AT&T)
4. Sanyo Zio (Sprint, Cricket Wireless)
5. HTC Wildfire (T-Mobile)
6. Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint)
7. LG Optimus S (Sprint)
8. Samsung Galaxy S (T-Mobile)
9. Motorola Droid X (Verizon)
10. LG Optimus One
11. Motorola Droid 2 (Verizon)
12. HTC Evo 4G (Sprint)

While Android fragmentation is well documented, the average cell phone user generally does not care if he or she’s on Android 2.3 or Android 2.3.7 as the the versions are functionally similar. According to Google, 56 percent of Android smartphones are stuck on the 18-month old Android 2.3 Froyo, or older versions – which make them more vulnerable to malware attacks.

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Amazon.com announced that it sold four times as many Kindle devices on Black Friday as it did last year, with its Kindle Fire tablet being the best selling tablet on its website as well as at Target stores.  The Kindle Fire is currently considered as one of Apple iPad’s strongest rivals since its entry in the market. It has a smaller screen and fewer apps than the iPad, but it’s priced much lower.  It directly appeals to people who are on a budget and are planning to use it for consuming content instead of as a partial replacement for their laptop. The other heavy competitor is Barnes & Noble’s new low-price Nook Tablet.

Amazon shares were reportedly up 3.9% at $189.50 in recent premarket trading.

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Apple’s Black Friday sales “off the charts”

Looks like Apple won the battle for Black Friday.  Reports are saying that Apple may have seen its single greatest day of retail sales in company history one day after Thanksgiving, despite a less than healthy economy.  Black Friday is always huge shopping day, and Apple reportedly forecasted at least 4X sales for the day. Apple’s lowest prices on big ticket items like the iPad, however, helped blow away forecasts by 7PM.

Although the iPad prices reportedly were the biggest draw, MacBook Air sales were also similarly “off the charts,” Apple sources revealed.

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Alex Capecalatro is a young, up-and-coming UCLA-bred entrepreneur whose new service, Hyphos, aims to offer a fresh take on meeting new people to hang out with locally. Though Hyphos is his first startup, he’s a bright, ambitious, and knowledgable fellow who has a lot of great insights on the LA tech startup scene as well as the social media landscape.

Pitch us your service in three sentences or less.

Hyphos is a social discovery platform making it possible to find and meet like-minded people nearby. Whether you’re looking for a gym buddy, a classmate to study with, or someone to chat about political philosophy in a coffee shop, we make the experience effortless and enjoyable. We like to say Hyphos is the closest group of friends you never knew existed.

It’s almost as if it’s a dating site… but to find platonic relationships?

That’s exactly right. We are social beings and we thrive when we coalesce, but it isn’t always easy meeting new people. Think about the times you’ve been in an airport or a crowded campus. Or perhaps if you’ve ever moved to a new town. How do you meet people? There are many social barriers that make it difficult and often frustrating. But what if, like a dating site, you could, at a glance, identify interesting characteristics in others? If you want to find a running buddy nearby or just someone to grab lunch with instead of eating alone, Hyphos makes that possible.

What made you decide to focus your company on Hyphos?

I’m an engineer at heart. I’m a technologist. But I’m also a global citizen and a big believer in the power of social change. I think a lot about the convergence of technology and society and how they relate to many of the world’s biggest challenges. My goal is to consciously construct a framework that improves people’s lives and it is with this mindset that I am focused intently on building Hyphos. I believe that by connecting like-minded people and giving them a voice to share with the world, we can begin to tackle isolation, we can help form real lasting friendships, and we can induce a more social, a more congenial society where people disengage from their iPods and engage with the world around them.

It sounds like for Hyphos to work, that it’ll need a critical mass of engaged users. How are you going to ensure this happens in an age where people are wary of putting forth personal information on yet another social networking site?

In order to get a critical mass of engaged users, we’re focusing our launch to geographically constrained areas. The thought of biking, grabbing a drink, or hanging out with someone new only makes sense if you’re close enough to make it happen. Because of this, and for a few other reasons, we’re initially launching to students (UCLA as our first school). By focusing efforts on a university we’re providing a very easy way for students to find like-minded people nearby and to organize events and promote what’s going on. That said, we’re not looking to replace the other social networks, nor do we try to offer the same value. As such, we offer a very easy one-click signup process and we minimize the amount of information users need to submit.

As a young company, with most of your team members current or recent graduate students, do you ever feel like you are in over your heads?

As a young company with a young team, I feel we have a number of assets working in our favor. For one, the burdens of family life aren’t yet apparent. Financial responsibility is significantly lower. The work ethic and long hours and combined passion are inspiring. And our team isn’t yet wrought with corporate experience that could otherwise prevent the uninhibited free sharing nature of new ideas. Where we lack in experience we more than make up in hard work and determination. Thus far I haven’t felt overburdened or in over my head. We are grateful for this opportunity and for all the growth and learning we are experiencing.

How big is your team? Can you describe your company’s culture?

We are three full time (me, Jason Hsin, and Dan Wilhelm) and five part time (Garrett Johnson, Spencer Hochberg, Zach Polke, Suraja Raj, Chris Niessl). Our culture is all about technical design and purpose with a side of fun. By technical design, I refer to the sense that we care deeply about creating a beautiful and efficient, emotionally responsive product that resonates and inspires. By purpose, I refer to the sense that we care deeply not just about building another website or social network, but a product that will impact society and make people’s lives better. And in regards to fun, much of our prose and graphic design and much of what we enjoy doing here in the office is about being social, inviting, and simply having a good time.

How did your company get its initial funding? Do you have any advice for emerging startups on how to deal with funding?

Our initial investor and advisor is David Carter, who I met at a Tech Coast Angels / OCTANe event in Orange County. David has been an amazing person to work with as a mentor, advisor, and investor.

In regard to funding for startups, the first thing I would suggest is checking out a book called Venture Deals by Jason Mendelson and Brad Feld, which does a great job outlining the basics.  I’m still a novice when it comes to the intricacies of effective fundraising, but a few lessons I’ve learned include:

1. Find people who share your passion and have experience in your field.

2. That said, find people who will challenge your beliefs in a constructive way.

3. Know your competition and be able to clearly explain your unique value proposition.

4. Leverage your network. You’d be surprised which classmate from college has an uncle in venture capital…

5. You’re doing the investor a favor as much as they’re doing you one. Don’t be afraid to play hardball.

How do you deal with competition? Do you keep tabs on other companies that are doing similar things?

It’s almost guaranteed we’ll pivot at some point in the early days. Because of this, it’s not always clear who the competition is and who the competition will become. Because of that, we keep a close eye on which companies are “hot” and where the industry is going. We keep an eye on who’s executing well. But I don’t get too worked up over a pitch about a similar sounding venture because execution is everything and ideas are a dime a dozen.

Tell us a little about your background? What made you want to start your own company?

I graduated from UCLA Engineering and have always been interested in the intersection of technology and societal change. Prior to Hyphos I worked on sustainable initiatives at the luxury hybrid company Fisker Automotive. In thinking through my goals and what I hoped to achieve, it became very apparent that the best way to impact society was to gather a group of highly intelligent and motivated individuals and to collectively tackle this problem of connecting people in a more meaningful way. The great thing about doing this through a company is it aligns the team’s interests, offers a good reward structure for success, and allows for incentivizing investors and advisors towards helping us on our mission.

What are your thoughts on the LA entrepreneurial scene?

When you’re starting a company in the tech space, everyone assumes that you’re setting up shop in the Valley. However, we’ve found Los Angeles to be an incredible place to start up. From recruiting talent (UCLA, USC, Caltech, etc) to meeting with investors (Baroda Ventures, GRP Partners, etc), LA has been a great place to launch. We’re seeing many more startup events taking place, such as Jason Nazar’s ‘Startups Uncensored’ and the almost weekly events that take place at Coloft. The infrastructure seems to be really coming together and we’re excited to be based in LA.

Who are your three most influential entrepreneurs? Why?

Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos) exhibits many if not all the qualities I admire most in an entrepreneur. He’s a strong leader and a brilliant thinker, but he’s also a visionary when it comes to company culture and pioneering a vision. If you haven’t read Hsieh’s “Delivering Happiness” I strongly suggest you do.

Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon) is at the top of the list because of his unabridged optimism and pioneering work carving out new markets. The number of innovations he’s pushed are hard to count and he continuously reinvents himself and his company. Bezos has been a huge influence on the way I think about business.

David Bohnett started GeoCities to “empower individuals, improve lives and build viable communities by connecting like-minded people.” In many ways I am trying to continue his vision. I am influenced by his involvement in shaping society through social activism and his philanthropic endeavors and success at positively impacting society.

What’s one of your most successful decisions? Can you share something that’s worked really well for you that you think other entrepreneurs could learn from?

Although it’s not exactly answering your question, one of the better and more difficult decisions I’ve made thus far was taking the leap to quit my job and pursue my passion. It can be very difficult to leave a good salary at a great company, but I am glad I made that choice. While I would never advise quitting your job as a blanket suggestion to all considering entrepreneurs, I think more people should question what they’d like to achieve in life and do everything possible to get there.

How do you see the social networking landscape shaping up in five years?

Five years is an eternity in the social networking landscape, and I’m sure we’ll see many short-term projects popping up. We’re seeing lots of niche sites (like Anybeat), trying to differentiate themselves from Facebook in such minute ways that they might as well not. And then there’s Google+, which has a lot of potential but again doesn’t offer a unique value over existing platforms. At Hyphos, we’re taking a long-term approach with what we’re building. We believe that the technology, platform, or device doesn’t matter. What matters is the opportunity we’re offering people. We’re making it easy interact with people around you that you never would have otherwise met. Over the next five years we see technology being an extension of our physical lives, making it easier and more enjoyable to do the things we already want to do. Our goal is to capitalize on online connectivity to enrich people’s lives by turning it from a tool of social isolation to an enabler of social interaction.

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Xpert Financial, their startup, is attempting to revolutionize financial markets for private companies.  Through their registered broker-dealer subsidiary, they offer an online marketplace where companies and approved investors can buy and sell shares of privately held companies.  They have three main products that are designed to help startups and private companies interact with potential investors.  “The overall thought of what our company can do for the economy or for private companies or entrepreneurship in general is really exciting,” Foley says.

Like many entrepreneurs, Foley and Draper put in long hours together at the office, and on the show, they play Newlywed-style game for business partners.  They answer questions ranging from how each of them likes their coffee to what each of their nervous habits are.  It’s incredible to see how many answers they get right about each other, and it goes to show how important relationships and company culture can be for startups.

How far would Foley and Draper go for their company?  “We’d go pretty far,” Foley says.  Draper interjects “It’s hard to put a limit on it… I’d probably saw off my arm and replace it with my company.”  They even agreed to eat insects off the floor to demonstrate the pure passion they have for their company, but when real, edible cockroaches actually get pulled out and put on the table, they end up compromising.  They lick them.  Yes, the co-founders of Xpert Financial lick cockroaches to prove that they’d do anything for their company.  That’s commitment.

You can watch the full “Valley Girl Show” interview below or see it on ValleyGirl.TV.

For more information on Xpert Financial, check out our Q&A with co-founder Thomas Foley.

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