Discovery

With Siri TV, Apple Will Dismantle the TV Networks

Ben Elowitz, Co-founder and CEO, Wetpaint in Voices on December 15, 2011 at 3:15 pm PT

Though it’s currently only embedded in the new iPhone 4S, Siri could eventually change the face of the TV industry.

Kepler 22-B: Earth 2.0 for Future Facebook Friending?

Kara Swisher in News on December 6, 2011 at 6:04 am PT

Hey geeks, the comics might have been right about Counter-Earth!

OpenSky Raises $30 Million for Twitter-Inspired Shopping Site

Tricia Duryee in Commerce on October 24, 2011 at 5:59 am PT

OpenSky is e-commerce with a Twitter twist: Follow celebrities and experts to get recommendations on the latest food, fashion, design and style.

AOL Music Boss Jumps to Start-Up

Peter Kafka in Media on September 27, 2011 at 6:51 am PT

Jeff Bronikowski put in a year; now he’s headed to Echo Nest, the company that powers the data feed for a lot of streaming music companies.

Apple iPad News Reader Zite Sold to CNN for Just Over $20 Million

Kara Swisher in Media on August 30, 2011 at 10:06 am PT

Zite, the magazine-style reading app for the Apple iPad, has been sold to news giant CNN for $20 million to $25 million.

Twitter Lets You Look Over Your Friends’ Shoulders, in Real Time

Liz Gannes in Social on August 10, 2011 at 2:38 pm PT

Twitter today started rolling out features to help shed light on the way tweeted content is received by other users. Two new tabs on Twitter’s Web site show users when their own tweets or tweets from the people they follow are favorited or retweeted.

Flipboard and Condé Nast Partner in Brand Ads Deal on Social Reading App

Kara Swisher in Media on July 24, 2011 at 9:00 pm PT

Social reading app Flipboard has partnered with magazine giant Condé Nast to offer a slew of magazines with branded advertising from major marketers.

Gripe About the Cable Guys if You Want, but They're Having a Very Nice Quarter

Peter Kafka in Media on April 28, 2011 at 9:24 am PT

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you think the TV business is begging for disruption. But for now, at least, it’s doing just fine: Advertisers are spending more on the tube, and so are you.

Exclusive: Flipboard Confirms $50 Million Funding at $200 Million Valuation

Kara Swisher in News on April 14, 2011 at 1:23 pm PT

Late last month, BoomTown posted about a huge venture funding effort by the high-profile and even more highly designed social media reading app for the Apple iPad, Flipboard. Today, its co-founder and CEO Mike McCue confirmed a $50 million round at an eye-popping $200 million valuation, in a wide-ranging interview at the start-up’s Palo Alto, Calif., HQ.

News Byte

Flipboard's Newest Feature: Oprah

Peter Kafka in Media on April 14, 2011 at 7:00 am PT

Buzzy iPad app Flipboard has a new talking point: Professional talker Oprah Winfrey. The social news service has struck a deal with OWN, the new cable network Winfrey is launching with Discovery, to give the TV host dedicated space on its home page. It’s the first time the app has struck that kind of a deal with a publisher, but it will presumably look to do more as it grows into a $200 million valuation.