News Byte

Wireless Beacon Startup Estimote Lands $3.1 Million, Hires GroupMe Vet Steve Cheney

Estimote, a Y Combinator graduate that makes wireless sensors — or beacons — that can be used to transmit information to nearby smartphones in environments such as retail shops, has snagged a $3.1 million seed round from a long list of venture firms and angel investors, including Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors, Betaworks and Bessemer Venture Partners. The company is also announcing the hire of former GroupMe business-development boss Steve Cheney, who will open Estimote’s New York City office and run business operations.

AllThingsD Week in Review: Snapchat’s Many Suitors, and Finding the Fastest 4G LTE Signal

The Top 10 stories that powered AllThingsD this week, in one convenient post.

Coin: Finally, a New Way to Pay in Stores That People Might Actually Use

One card to store them all.

Attack of the Clones: Facebook’s Annoying Overseas Growth Problem

Mark Zuckerberg speaks about the international thorn in Facebook’s side, at an industry event.

Agent App Helps Android Phones Anticipate Users’ Needs

Agent responds to text messages when you’re driving, puts your phone in silent mode during meetings and remembers where you’re parked.

News Byte

Sequoia Capital Backs Real-Time Coupon App Shopular in $6.4 Million Series A

Y Combinator alum Shopular has raised $6.4 million in a Series A round led by Sequoia Capital. Shopular makes a mobile app that alerts shoppers to coupons via push notifications when they are near the coupon-issuer’s store.

All Grown Up? At Y Combinator’s 17th Demo Day, the New Consumer Was the Enterprise.

Y Combinator’s motto is “Make something people want,” but on Tuesday the target audience seemed to be companies.
MakeSomethingPeopleWant

Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and Others Call for More NSA Transparency

The alliance includes 63 companies, investors, non-profits and trade organizations.

Update: Xobni Price Paid by Yahoo Was $48 Million in Cash, Plus Possible Earn-Outs

Still not a big win, but not a total loss.

Yahoo Acquires Xobni for Upward of $30 Million

Yep.

The Muse Career Site Raises $1.2M