Golfers like to talk about their long game and their short game. Maybe it’s useful to look at Microsoft’s strategy that way too. Since Satya Nadella took over just over a year ago as CEO at Microsoft, he has started to redirect the company, looking at the short term, while perhaps beginning to formulate a plan for the next wave of computing. Microsoft is the quintessential… Read More
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When you break down, the assumption is that you need help urgent.ly. That’s why Urgent.ly exists. This on-demand roadside assistance app aims to be the Uber of what happens if your car can’t be used as an Uber anymore. Founded by Chris Spanos, Surendra Goel, and Luke Kathol, the service allows you to pinpoint your location and request help. Spanos, who worked as a GM of Repair.com… Read More
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We’re on our way to Atlanta and Boston in a few short days, and we’re ready to see the best that those tech communities have to offer.
The world-famous TechCrunch Pitch-Off will hit Atlanta on February 24 and Boston on February 26, where select startups will have 60 seconds to pitch their product live on stage to a panel of judges, including TC writers and local VCs. Read More
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Apple could be building a car, apparently, so naturally we had to talk about that. It seems likely Apple would want to anticipate a future where cars fall within a tech company’s purview, so in that regard it isn’t surprising. But Apple working on something doesn’t always equal Apple shipping something, no matter how much we may wish it were true. We also cover Photos, which… Read More
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Apple is indeed working on a car, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Mac maker kicked off a top-secret project tasked with developing an electric car with a minivan aesthetic, per the WSJ’s sources, after CEO Tim Cook approved the project nearly a year ago. It includes “hundreds” of staffers and is led by Ford Motor vet and Apple VP Steve Zadesky, and it includes… Read More
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Snapchat’s newest feature could turn Our Stories into hip, visual back channels by locals for locals only. The company is currently experimenting with a version of its normally public, big event Our Stories that feature Snaps from a certain location that can only be seen by people nearby. Today it’s running one called “TGIF” that only pulls in Snaps from, and shows them… Read More
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Shutterfly, the publishing company that operates a number of online and mobile brands associated with personal photo printing, is now shutting down Treat, its online and mobile greeting card service. The Treat application first launched back in April 2012, and later in the year arrived on mobile devices before getting an overhaul in 2013. The app allowed users to customize greeting cards… Read More
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Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke at the White House summit on cybersecurity and personal privacy today, where he announced that Apple Pay will be available starting in September as a payment method for U.S. federal government services. To start, it’ll roll out for things like admission to national parks, with plans to also make it function with services like Social Security and… Read More
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Today is President Barack Obama’s special White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection at Stanford University, and while a number of Silicon Valley executives will be notably absent at the event, Apple CEO Tim Cook is scheduled to speak for a 10 minute session kicking off at 10:45 AM PT (1:45 PM ET), and you can watch live above. The event runs all day, so you can watch… Read More
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When you walk into a bar, restaurant, or other venue with Rockbot, the virtual jukebox can now add one of your favorite songs to the playlist without any effort on your part. Backed by Universal Music Group, Google Ventures, and others, Rockbot actually got its start at San Francisco’s Bar Basic, one of the go-to hangout spots for TechCrunch’s SF team. The startup has already… Read More
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