NFC mobile advertising startup Tapit raises seed funding

Tapit is a new mobile advertising startup, founded in March 2011, that facilitates the sharing and delivery offer NFC-enabled phone by simply clicking anywhere Tapit, you can find the logo.

The company is currently raises seed round of financing from Sydney angels in record time – just 22 days from the field until the round was signed to. This is the quickest investment to date for Angels, Sydney, not-for-profit membership Organization for Angels, which usually invests in Sydney-based startups.

NFC (near field communication), short-range wireless technology, is often associated with mobile payments and mobile wallets these days, as a new way to enable the purchase to the cash. But this is just one of many cases of possible uses for technology that can also support things like file sharing and media between devices, advertising, ticketless deals and much more. It can even be used to perform an action in a NTT DOCOMO TAP "follow" offer, which allows two Twitter users to each other simply by clicking the phone.

The idea is to use the Tapit NFC for use in marketing campaigns, working with agencies, brands, handset manufacturers and carriers. Marketing services include mobile commerce, coupon distribution, ticket sales, surveys and reviews, content delivery, contests and social community (e.g. tap here to "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter).

The company is already involved in several campaigns this year – one for a group of radio Nova Australian radio network billboard JCDecaux and another for Australia's channel 10 TV show "LATVIA" and the third with NFC-based sales in shopping malls.

Says director Jamie Kaninghèm Tapit, speed, which was closed in this round is the approval group Tapit, and business models that we have created around our unique NFC technology. All whom we meet likes the idea of Tapit, it is addictive.

NFC, indeed, will step up from the now ubiquitous barcode scanning technology, which involves the use of Smartphone applications to scan QR codes via camera phone. Unfortunately the NFC usually requires accompanying chip, built into the phone itself. Due to this requirement, it is now back, a limited number of supported phones.

Nevertheless, analysts bullish on NFC in the future, with ABI, predicting 35 million phones to 2012, and Frost & Sullivan, assessment of about 868 million by the year 2015.

Tapit conditions in seed investment were not disclosed, but the Fund normally invests sidecar Angels Sydney between $ 100 K-$ 500 K in its portfolio companies.

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Mobile ad network millennial MEDIA saw about 50 million dollars in revenue in 2010 year

Leena Rao is currently working as a writer for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school Medill School of journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007 she helped lead Congresswoman Carloyn Maloney advocacy and community relations in New York. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003, where it was ... ? Read More

We know that mobile ad network millennial MEDIA has more than tripled revenues in 2010, 2009, and achieve profitability. But we did not know how many in the mobile advertising network brought in until now. In 2011 the last Millennial Inc. 500 list saw 47.8 million turned out in 2010, income, more than 3000 percent from 2007, $ 1.5 million in revenue. And although we don't know what the Millennial net income, we know that the company is profitable.

Millennial is one of the largest remaining independent ad networks Google bought AdMob, and Apple has acquired Quattro. There is no doubt that many technology companies through the eyes of the Millennial goal acquisition, but the company has managed to preserve its independence in spite of increased consolidation taking place in the mobile ad space.

In addition to Millennial in independent ad network company also operates and manages private mobile ad networks for large media companies and conglomerates that have multiple applications and sites, essentially the power of self-service ad network for these companies. And the millennial deals with "prominent Internet media company" (but declining to name the company), which is fully running mobile advertising at the millennial.

On the basis of comparison, AdMob reportedly had 100 million dollars in revenue, run course, when it was purchased in the year 2009, which could put his actual revenue in the $ 40 million (AdMob Division revenue 60/40 with publishers). It's unclear if the Millennial in 47.8 million in 2010, income is post-split.

I hope we will see more detailed information on financials Millennial when a company files S-1 for public offer in the coming months. CEO and founder Paul Palmieri had ambitions of taking public companies, and the timing may be right, considering that this seems to be the year of tech companies IPO. In may, Bloomberg reported that Millennial talked to bankers on the IPO, which could come in the autumn or early 2012 and valued the company at a whopping $ 700 million to $ 1 billion (AdMob was sold to Google for $ 750 million).

Given how most companies refuse to disclose the exact financials when they are private is always interesting to see revenue numbers pre-IPO.

Millennial MEDIA is the leading independent mobile advertising and data. Millennial MEDIA commands an impressive share of the mobile display advertising market. The company's technology, tools and services ...

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Like Quora more thinks about mobile devices, they drop a PIN on the spot

MG Siegler at TechCrunch to write for the 2009 year. It covers web, mobile, social, big companies, small companies, almost all. And Apple. A lot. Prior to TechCrunch it covers different technologies beats for VentureBeat. Originally from Ohio, mg attended the University of Michigan. He previously lived in Los Angeles, where he worked in Hollywood and in San Diego where ... ? Read More

Some of the most interesting and relevant content on Quora linked from their seats. So far, however, not much done to Quora concentrate these data using the location. Today they start.

A new feature going live soon will allow users to specify location information by topic. For example, if the theme of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, now you can drag and drop a PIN to indicate where on the map. This place will display each time you view the topic. And the map can be set to show satellite or terrain view (they're using Google Maps). You can also enter specific addresses.

This may not sound like a big deal, but it most likely indicates where Quora thinks about heading to the location itself. The company noted that, as more people use the service from their mobile phones, location-based questions and answers are becoming increasingly important. This is something that other startups as Hipster, were built around.

Location more generally also allows Quora link topics together in a new way. For example, if you are considering a trip somewhere, you could look at interesting information around the area you're headed, than might otherwise have surfaced on the overall query.

It looks like Facebook is not only taking place more seriously.

Quora, founded in June 2009, for the first time in private beta in January 2010. Quora is a collection of constantly improving the questions and answers is created, edited and organized by everyone who ...

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StackMob, Heroku for mobile devices», partners with ... Heroku!

MG Siegler at TechCrunch to write for the 2009 year. It covers web, mobile, social, big companies, small companies, almost all. And Apple. A lot. Prior to TechCrunch it covers different technologies beats for VentureBeat. Originally from Ohio, mg attended the University of Michigan. He previously lived in Los Angeles, where he worked in Hollywood and in San Diego where ... ? Read More

We wrote about the StackMob twice, both times, calling it "Heroku Mobile" in the title. Yes "X by Y" titles really lame. But I mean that quite a lot, that's exactly what StackMob is and they cover. In fact, they cover, so that now they are announcing a key partnership with ... wait for it… Heroku!

StackMob integration with Heroku as an optional component that extends mobile platform all Ruby developers on Heroku. This means APIs, OAuth, push notifications and Analytics for mobile devices, all coming in integration. With this easy-to-implement solutions developers can spend less time worrying about backend development for desktop and mobile and more time worrying about the frontend implementation.

«Mobile market continues to grow, we see not only build more data-driven applications, but also with more complex data, "said StackMob CEO and co-founder of Amell Ty. "These highly interactive applications need a code to handle the data on servers, not on devices. Heroku add-on allows StackMob to extend its technology to Ruby developers, so they can focus on creating rich applications ".

StackMob said that other features such as social integration and support for Node.js will soon. They also offer a $ 1000 prize for the best mobile applications created by using StackMob and Heroku during Dreamforce Hackathon.

Even if StackMob is in private beta, Heroku for all users who want access will get it with the partnership.

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Dwolla launches the "proxy" based on contactless mobile payments

Internet and mobile payment platform Dwolla has launched a new feature called "proxy", which allows users to send and receive cash based mobile payments based on their current proximity to another device. Technology bypasses the need for special equipment, such as square plastic dongles or NFC chip embedded in the phone, in order to make mobile payments.

Instead, this interface provides a simple way for users to find Dwolla in the vicinity of contacts and send them money, using only the mobile application itself.

Dwolla, not knowing is a company with a unique take on the digital payments. His vision is that consumers, not third parties, dictating how their payments network works. What does this mean for Dwolla and its users is a payments network that is not personal information. And most importantly, run Dwolla in this planned violation of cash from the market of electronic payments.

Dwolla in "proxy" Beta

With a new function "proxy" (Beta) Dwolla founder Ben Milne explained that the company expects to accomplish much in the same as NFC makes it possible, but without the need for expensive hardware. With NFC added security because you will have to be physically present to pay. The proxy uses the GPS for the same reason.

When you run proxy pulls mobile applications a list of those who are near you and able to accept payments, including nearby users and merchants.

And, like everything else does Dwolla proxies considers the security of users first. For example, you can control whether you want to be visible only to contacts or for a wider range of Dwolla users, you can control how much time you will be visible, and you can control the distance at which you visible with settings for 300 ft, 1 mile or 5 miles.

Proxy beta will initially be available in iOS and will roll out to other mobile platforms (Android, Windows phone) in the coming weeks. Beta is closed for now, but TechCrunch readers can to request immediate access here: https://www.dwolla.com/proxi/beta. there will be limited spots, so access on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Pros and cons of Dwolla

Proxy-this type of function that can be Dwolla in the territory of the "interesting idea" to become a more practical application. Secure, person-to-person (or people-to-business) mobile payments without high fees associated with PayPal, or need special equipment? Sounds good here.

The only drawback is that Dwolla does not directly connect to your own bank account in the same way that your debit card, which may confuse users for the first time, I don't understand, why are other financial institutions. Instead, the Dwolla has partnered with a group of Veridian, Veridian Credit Union branch in Waterloo, Iowa, and members of the Group (TMG) other financial and Credit Union service organization owned by Iowa credit unions and their members. Through these organizations, which borrow in Dwolla in the user accounts, people can send and receive money from their own bank accounts.

While Dwolla is an easy to use, this is hardly available for use throughout the world, so that your debit.

And finally while Dwolla fee is not outrageous, they are present. Dwolla has a flat 25 cents for a fee, regardless of the amount of the transaction. It's less than PayPal 30 cents for a Commission. There is also no additional percentage of the amount of the transaction, even if one is now PayPal charges 2.9% for additional deals for $ 3000.

Dwolla currently has 40000 users with transactions for users of the high volume of deals and transactions B2B, represents the largest value of the dollar. The company will be rolling out more technology during the month of September, so stay tuned.

Dwolla provides free Web-based software platform that allows users to send, receive and solicit funds from any other user. Dwolla the maximum transaction cost is 25 cents per. ..

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AliveCor transforms mobile devices in low cost heart raises $ 3 million.

Robin Wauters is currently staff writer for TechCrunch and lead editor of Virtualization.com. In addition to its activities, professional blogging, he is an entrepreneur, the organizer of the event, from time to time the Council consultant and an angel investor, but most importantly champion full launch. Wauters lives and works in Belgium, a tiny country in Europe. He can often be found from his home or ... ? Read More

AliveCor, developer of the low-budget electrocardiograms (ECG) recorder that works in conjunction with a variety of mobile platforms (including iPhone, iPad and Android devices), delivered $ 3 million in series A financing, the company announced this morning.

Funding round was led by Barril & company along with Qualcomm, through its venture investment arm, Qualcomm Ventures, and the Oklahoma Foundation for life sciences.

AliveCor the size of a credit card wireless device can make iOS and Android smartphones and tablets in low cost heart monitors, which can be used by patients and doctors and other medical professionals in clinical conditions. Watch the video below for a demo version of the iPhone.

Notice that the device is not for sale, but-AliveCor products have not yet been cleared as a medical device in the United States. It is also unclear exactly how much it will cost but earlier coverage of Wall Street Journal mentioned a price of $ 100.

The company said that it now will use the capital to complete the clinical studies are currently in the center of Oklahoma University of medical sciences, to carry out the necessary regulatory approvals and equipment for the commercial launch of its recording an ECG.

AliveCor has developed a device that will transform any Smartphone in Recorder quality clinical electrocardiogram (ECG).

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Forkly introduces the mobile space App soon stuffed taste

MG Siegler at TechCrunch to write for the 2009 year. It covers web, mobile, social, big companies, small companies, almost all. And Apple. A lot. Prior to TechCrunch it covers different technologies beats for VentureBeat. Originally from Ohio, mg attended the University of Michigan. He previously lived in Los Angeles, where he worked in Hollywood and in San Diego where ... ? Read More

Remember last year when it seemed like all makes location-based mobile applications? One of the original players in the space, Brightkite, eventually got overshadowed by new competitors. Now two of its founders came back with a new mobile launch, and once they enter a space that is quickly getting crowded: food.

In particular, Brady Becker and Martin may have just launched Forkly in the app Store. Although we are aware of the company almost a year and know what they are doing for a few months, it took quite long to get to that point. Now here: application for exchanging information and identifying food and drink.

If this sounds familiar it's because you've heard of Foodspotting, loads the application picture popular food that now there are a million. Or maybe you have heard about the new "Nosh, Instagram food" from the founder of Google voice that started recently. Only two competitors. There are many others and believe me, many others, coming in short order.

But to its credit, Forkly looks very solid. Unlike Foodspotting, which focuses primarily on photography, Forkly focuses more on ratings (Nosh focuses on both). You can "like" element, "love", say it is "good" or "not for me". Forkly then uses this information to create "taste graph" for each user. Then this is used to serve other elements that you can.

Or you can see the new items, served to you in a social channel. And you can easily point out a few things to note, that you "want it". And you can write short reviews, etc.

There is also a game that users become "influencers" to recommend foods and drinks, which others like.

Forkly also rationally offers tools for bloggers, food, restaurants and brands to use the service immediately bat. This may ultimately key features of the stand-out in space. You can read more about in this post.

So Forkly will be in a position to do something that cannot be Brightkite sectional red-hot field? Given that half of the competition is not even started, it's too early to say. Being early doesn't help in the location (in fact, it can be argued that accepted and Dodgeball, which eventually led to the creation of Foursquare, it is still too early), but it could here as startups race to earn the most products and ratings in their systems.

You can find Forkly in the App Store here.

Forkly makes it ridiculously easy to match your taste buds with food and restaurants around you. Capture and use your tastes and dining and Forkly will help you ...

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Erply takes on the square and Intuit with NFC-Enabled Mobile credit card reader for iOS

Leena Rao is currently working as a writer for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school Medill School of journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007 she helped lead Congresswoman Carloyn Maloney advocacy and community relations in New York. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003, where it was ... ? Read More

Erply, a company that develops retail inventory management software takes on the square, Intuit and VeriFone today with new mobile credit card reader for device iOS. Erply credit card device connects to the iPad or iPhone and will transmit data encrypted credit card customer to point of sale and inventory management suite software payment processing.

With Erply reader retail iPhone charger attached to the port or the iPad and it communicates with the POS software company for transaction processing and accounting for the sale of stocks. Actually, credit card data is encrypted inside the device, ensuring that the transaction is safe and secure.

The advantage for the reader to link with inventory management, offers a complex solution for retail instead of user different software. And it works particularly well in the retail environment, where there are a large number of stocks. Plus, the founder of the Christian Hiiemaa said that the NFC reader, mobile-enabled transactions.

Erply credit card reader at a price of $ 50 with 1.9% transaction fee is a bit smaller than the square, VeriFone and Intuit charges. The area has recently dropped its transaction fee of $ 0.15 and charges merchants a flat 2.75%. Intuit made a similar move. But the square reader software for free, while software Erply nowhere varies from $ 70 to $ 1000 per month. You can also use Erply their existing user base of 20000 retailers who use the company's software for inventory management.

Of course it is important to note that Intuit GoPayment reader integrates with popular accounting software Quickbooks, and also developed a more comprehensive point of sale system with his latest iPad app. And the square grows quickly, especially among small businesses.

Erply actually is the winner of Seedcamp and has raised $ 2 million in funding from Redpoint and Index Ventures, Marten Mickos, Zack Urlocker (both formerly of MySQL), Kenny Van Zant (SolarWinds), Aydin Senkut, David McClure and the accelerator group. Erply mobile credit card reader is available now for iPad and will be provided within three months for the iPhone.

ERPLY is a manufacturer of software for commercial retail inventory and e-commerce, which processes the data across the physical stores, online shops and offices and provides real-time dashboards with relevant data. Erply ...

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From mobile games to the connected car: Sneak peak at Gazelle laboratory first 6 startups

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Earlier today, new TechStars Network member, the Tampa Bay-based Gazelle Lab, announced its first full round of program participants. This 3-month, mentor-driven program based on the TechStars model is one of the first of its kind to emerge in the Tampa Bay region –  a region that’s been pushing to become a new home to technological and entrepreneurial innovation.

This first group includes some unique companies, like a location-based mobile platform for sharing digital media, an app that connects to your car to diagnose those baffling “check engine” messages and an online ordering system for restaurants that puts big company technology into the hands of SMBs, just to name a few. We got a sneak peak at all 6 of the new companies today, and are now eagerly awaiting their launches later this fall.

While a group of 6 is small compared with other accelerator programs’ outputs, for Tampa Bay, it’s a notable number. This under-the-radar geographic region, which was previously home to Wikipedia before its 2007 relocation to California as well as the recently acquired website builder Wufoo, isn’t really on the map of notable “tech hotspots.” But Gazelle Lab is hoping to change that with its new program for early stage startups.

Below are today’s Gazelle Labs’ first participants, all of which are in various stages of development. The startups will launch this fall, when they present to potential investors at Gazelle Labs’ Demo Day event.

AutoIQ

AutoIQ is a combination gadget and HTML5-based mobile application that listens to your car in order to save you money. The company sells an off-the-shelf diagnostic gadget that connects to the onboard diagnostic (OBD) port of your vehicle. There are several different payment options for the service’s users. For $50, you receive the gadget and a year of service. You can also choose to buy your own gadget from a third-party and pay just $3/month for the service, or you can choose to pay $5/month for both the gadget and the service on a subscription basis. The OBD port is a standard port, accessible on all modern vehicles without having to get your hands dirty poking around under the hood. The gadget, which the company calls the “translator,” listens to the car’s computer and then “translates” those mysterious error messages into understandable language. Messages can come to you through push notifications, text messages, emails or via the AutoIQ online service. How bad is that “check engine” message, for example? Do you really need an air filter, as your mechanic says?

In addition, AutoIQ not only makes it easier to understand what your car is trying to tell you, it will also help you find the best prices for servicing your vehicle in town. Repair shops will eventually be able to tap into the data AutoIQ generates and target offers to groups of customers. Pricing for that aspect of the service is still being worked out, however. The service will launch first in Tampa Bay and will then roll out to Southern California, followed by the rest of the U.S.

CityQuest

CityQuest is a new (in-development) mobile application that transforms normal metropolitan landscapes into adventure-filled mini-games that “promote local commerce and vanquish boredom.” While operating in the same general space as Foursquare and Gowalla, the app doesn’t see itself as competing directly with those “check in” based networks. Its goal is slightly different – promote local discovery, encourage users to “get out of the house” and explore their city, visit popular landmarks, discover new businesses and patronize those which are their favorites.

Instead of checkins, the game will utilize “quests” – simple and fun tasks that enable users to earn badges and points and acquire gold. But unlike other apps that employ gamification techniques, CityQuest doesn’t want the rewards users earn to be meaningless. That’s why players can choose to donate gold they earn to local charities, community groups or schools in the form of actual cash. And regular users who acquire “experience points” will actually be able to help shape the game’s future development, suggesting businesses that should be included in future quests, for example. Of course, there may be a “deals” angle, too, where gold could lead to discounts at local stores, but that’s further down the road. The app will initially launch on one mobile platform this fall, and will then be ported to more platforms in the future. CityQuest also tied for first place at Tampa Bay’s Startup Weekend last month.

Dropost.it

Dropost.it, another mobile app that emerged from Tampa Bay’s first Startup Weekend, allows you to “drop” text messages and media in a geographical area for others to receive when they get there. That media can be music, video, photos, games, or any other digital file. The best way to understand Dropost.it is to think of it as sort of “location-based graffiti.” It’s not designed to be a niche experience, but rather a location-based platform for sharing media. There are several possible uses for this sort of technology, ranging from geo-fenced location-based reminders to in-store promotions where the app’s users receive discounts at local businesses. But the most intriguing thing about this app is how it attaches a real-world location to the online, virtual world.

Using Dropost.it, you could see a video of an interesting event that happened at particular spot. Or maybe you discover a simple game to play while waiting in the long line at the bank. Or you arrive at the grocery store, and get a message from your roommate to pick up some milk. Messages posted to Dropost.it can be set to public or private, as desired. It will also integrate with social networks, like Twitter, Facebook and Google+, to enable friend discovery. Dropost.it will be available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone when it launches later this fall.

Leads Direct, Inc.

Leads Direct, LLC is an online lead aggregator and cost-per-lead provider for multiple service-based verticals. That description is being kept fairly high-level because the company’s founders are still at their day jobs. This company is taking a different approach from the other startups in Gazelle Lab in that it isn’t disruptive in terms of the core service being offered, but in the way that the service works. Lead generation is a business that’s been around for some time, and has a sound business model, the founders explain, but the company plans on making some changes to address specific needs in each vertical they target. The company will initially target property management and real estate, where it will provide advertisers with more control over budgets, a better understaning of where ad dollars are being spent and itemized billing – all things its competitors currently lack. In short, Leads Directo will offer a Google AdWords-like toolset for acquiring leads.

Red Hawk Interactive, Inc.

Red Hawk Interactive plans to integrate restaurant listings and menu ordering systems into streaming video services. While it can’t discuss specifics, the company says it’s in talks with a well-known streaming video brand. And it’s currently reaching out to others in the same market. To give you an idea of the clients RedHawk has in mind, streaming video services like Netflix, Hulu, or Boxee are the types of targets the company is interested in talking with. RedHawk would provide a way for these service to display links to restaurants via the screen that loads before you start the movie. For example, under the movie’s description, would be a simple option that read something like “Order Food.” Clicking the link would take you to a list of participating restaurants with online ordering systems. The way this interface would look and operate is up to the streaming video provider, as this would be a white label product only.

However, RedHawk’s goal is not to function as an ad platform. That means local restaurants are not buying the links, or paying for a higher position. Instead RedHawk pulls from menu providers’ lists, and filters those by zip code in order to suggest the available restaurants to end users, along with delivery times and delivery areas. The customer would then be walked through a simplified online ordering system. RedHawk isn’t the final product name for the service, which has been in development since April.

Teburu

Teburu (Japanese for “table”) provides a web-based and mobile platform for restaurants to easily manage their online and mobile ordering services. For small to medium-sized restaurants, it’s still a challenge to get the information from the ordering system to the kitchen, says Teburu. Typical third-party systems often forgo expensive point-of-sale (POS) integration and instead phone the restaurant, fax in orders or send orders via email. Teburu makes POS integration a more affordable option, or restaurants can opt for the company’s specially designed HTML5 tablet application which runs on locked-down mobile hardware and software, like a customized version of Android, for example. The app will alert order takers to incoming orders via flashes or beeps. Then staff simply inputs the order in their own system.

The overall goal is to provide SMBs with the same level of control over their menus and online ordering presence as larger companies have. The product will be white-labeled so restaurants can control own branding. A mobile app framework is also in development which would allow restaurants to take orders via a branded mobile application. Teburu already has a large chain testing the service right now, but will open up to others later this year.

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Just in time for the new season of NFL Fantasy Football Mobile Taptu brings readers

RIP Empson-writer at TechCrunch. He did not find friends here, he is here to win and you don't forget it. You can contact him at rip [at] techcrunch [dot] com ? more

Since its founding in 2007, Taptu was run, which specialized in search and touch based interface for mobile devices, mobile search, real-time system, combined with the OneRiot back in 2009, for example. In November last year, however, made a smart decision to bring his knowledge of the mobile search market news reader, Flipboard as Android and iPhone apps that have interesting offers value to the growing market of mobile reader: users will be able to join more than 5000 mixed flows is paltry and not much more than the competition.

Taptu started in April with the iPad a sleek and clean design that, again, sought to differentiate itself from competitors like Flipboard, pulse, flood (and possibly Edition) through its proprietary mobile search tech on the aggregation of the thousands of news sources, rather than relying on those tired RSS feeds.

As some readers may know, the National Football League had been in the throes of a controversial block, which threaten the 2011 season. Owners and players have recently come to an agreement, ending on 25 July, the lock and allowing the show to go on pigskin. Seeing as how football is on time, not wanting to miss out on a great opportunity to expand their feature set, Taptu today entered a new domain Athletic running NFL Fantasy Football News flow for users of Taptu on Smartphones and tablets. New thread allows fans to get updates on each critical STAT and news in real time, allowing fantasy football players to field a competitive team each week.

As my colleague mg wrote last week, the sports world was significantly underrepresented at the pills and News readers, because ESPN (behemoth of sports content) mostly absent from space — at least in terms of partnerships with other developers and startups to syndicate their content. But last week dropped a bomb on the pulse of the tablet market news reader by declaring that he was the first player in the space to get injections of ESPN, along with the existing contents of the report, baseball, Yahoo Sports, and so on.

Although this was a big win for the momentum continues, the more coveted demographic niches that are still under-represented on the tablets, which would be none other than sports fantasy. Fantasy sports are now more than 27 million Americans; It is becoming increasingly popular pastime (money maker). And for those who are, or have friends who play fantasy sports in General, a rabid group.

Although it depends on the sport, in order to field the best team every week, fantasy sports players must consume a lot of information about who plays well, including what players are injured, or at run time, etc. of fantasy sports enthusiasts consume large amounts of statistics and news, they do their homework, as analysts or enterprising journalists is obviously different if you're a mobile startup.

Over the next 30 days, loads of football fans will be building their teams on their desktops and mobile devices in preparation for the commencement of the season. And now, thanks to Taptu, those fans no longer need to visit multiple websites to get the lowdown on trade or injury. In addition, Taptu in fantasy feature allows users to mix and match from football great publications and blogs in one thread, that is easy to read and look for the information.

And nose thumbing at the pulse, Taptu will present the latest news from ESPN, SB nation, Fox and CBS Sports, among others. To find the app fantasy football thread, users simply go to "thread shop" and locate the fantasy football icon, click the plus (+) button, and the thread will be added to the collection of user News. As before, Taptu is available for free at iOS (here), as well as Android phones and tablets (here).

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Chatterfly launches mobile digital loyalty App

Digital loyalty run Chatterfly today launched its new programme of awards for businesses and consumers in the form of Smartphone apps for the iPhone and Android. How do startups including Google now owns Punchd Chatterfly seek to replace document loyalty card more modern digital version.

But Chatterfly not only for the manufacture of mobile punchcards entrepreneurs. It is a system of loyalty, which offers business owners the opportunity to hold their customers in other ways, including through social media sites via QR codes, in-store promotions and much more.

As with any traditional loyalty program company Chatterfly may reward customers for making purchases in the store, but they can also reward them for sharing their experiences at social sties like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Google +.

With Chatterfly Customers earn points, which is a different model than the typical "buy 10 get 1 free" model, which is popular today. These points can be redeemed either on local companies or for your own Chatterfly award – choice to the consumer.

And because it works as a mobile application that Chatterfly can use the camera phone to scan special QR codes tied to stocks. For example, the company offers a store can accommodate in-store scavenger hunt to entice new customers to drop by. Or, if the business wants to do something easier, it may just offer points for those who scan the QR code in the store.

By itself, the idea of rewarding customer loyalty is good, but the application itself needs quite a bit of Polish, we think. Black and white images? Uneven layout? Yikes.

Of course there is still a challenge to convince business owners actually use the service, too. But Chatterfly have a little forward. Prior to the beginning, the company ran a beta test in the San Francisco Bay area with more than 100 enterprises, and said that he had received many positive responses.

The company is based in San Mateo, where it was founded in June 2010, Charles Michael Yim, previously in the business development of the software. It is funded by the private sector.

Chatterfly said the iPhone and Android versions of applications are available now and in the near future more platforms.

Chatterfly provides small and medium-sized businesses with retention and clients all over the mobile loyalty. These solutions enable enterprises to motivate and keep their clients coming back.

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Mobile App Opinionaided Q&A raises $ 4.3 million from SoftBank and other

Leena Rao is currently working as a writer for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school of the Medill School of journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007 she helped lead efforts for advocacy and community relationships Congressman Carloyn Maloney in New York. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003 where it was ... ? Read More

Q&A mobile services Opinionaided was raised to $ 4.3 million in financing led by SoftBank capital and BlueRun Ventures, General catalyst, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Mark Wachen, Jonah Goodhart, Karl Jacob, ENIAC and Vince Monical participation. This brings the company's total funding to $ 5.3 million.

Opinionaided free app allows users to get the iOS tips and opinions on the fly. Within the app, users can type a question, determine the category (i.e., relationships, politics) and submit it to other users of the Opinionaided answer. You can also post your questions on Facebook and Twitter. Once ignored, fellow Opinionaided users can comment on the issue and the application will calculate the percentage of users who responded positively or negatively. From there, users can respond to comments or create a new issue for colleagues to vote for.

Today, Opinionaided in users 125 million answers to consumers since the start of last year. As we reported in June, the application has an average of 73 replies to the question. And users spend almost 3 hour app per month.

Startup also announces new version of its app, includes the new iOS user interface that allows users to send questions via SMS, Twitter and Facebook.

Localmind also offers mobile Q&A.

Opinionaided is a platform that helps users get opinions from friends, family and community in the flow of everyday life. The platform includes an iPhone app, Web site, ...

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OpenFeint brings 60 new mobile social games to China through partnership with The9

Leena Rao is currently working as a writer for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school of the Medill School of journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007 she helped lead efforts for advocacy and community relationships Congressman Carloyn Maloney in New York. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003 where it was ... ? Read More

Earlier this year, the mobile social gaming platform OpenFeint has teamed up with one of its investors, Chinese game company The9 for game developers for the Android platform. OpenFeint and The9 announced that he will use the $ 100 million Fund9, based on Chinese mobile Internet Development Fund, funding for game developers using the OpenFeint platform for Chinese games.

In just three months of work The9's, branded version of OpenFeint, game zone, already disseminates 60 live games through 30 App stores in China. OpenFeint and The9 also announced that they have chosen the first five recipients of funding from their Android porting initiative. With this funding, developers will be able to transfer these popular iOS games for Android and sell them at the global level. The9 then localize and publish games for the Chinese market.

Games were selected based on their quality, downloads and the ability to game developers. Some games include: Pix'n love rush, BulkyPix, Shift! 2 fishing Cactus, iSlash Deullo games, mini motor Racing binary factories and Babel, BulkyPix.

OpenFeint is not the only company in an attempt to cash in on the large potential of the Chinese gaming market. Zynga also develop its presence in China with a new partnership with Chinese Internet giant Tencent, launching a beta version of Zynga town, the new Chinese localized version of CityVille.

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Flurry: mobile dating application capture more flirting time than Internet sites

Leena Rao is currently working as a writer for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school of the Medill School of journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007 she helped lead efforts for advocacy and community relationships Congressman Carloyn Maloney in New York. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003 where it was ... ? Read More

Mobile applications analytics firm flurry released today a report which examines the use of mobile dating applications against online dating sites. Flurry data used Compete, comScore and Alexa to measure the consumption of Internet dating sites and use their own analytics data (now tracks more than 90 000 mobile applications) mobile tracking. With regard to the dating, flurry tracks a wide range of dating applications with more than 2 million total users.

A flurry of reports that mobile dating apps team more time compared to online dating sites. An average of 8.4 minutes spent in mobile dating application is 8.3 minutes online. A year ago, people spent twice as much time online dating is now in mobile applications. Mobile dating app use increased from 3.7 minutes in June 2010 to 8.4 minutes in June 2011. This is another proof that supports a barrage in a recent report on mobile applications use the dominant Web browser.

In terms of participation a flurry said that the number of consumers, mobile dating applications helps to increase the time in the day in mobile dating applications. Last year the average user has opened a dating app 2 times a day, a little less than 2 minutes each time. Now consumers open dating app more than 5 times a day, but for shorter periods of time, approximately 1.5 minutes each.

In terms of unique users visiting sites v. s mobile applications flurry believes that more people use dating apps on smartphones running than visiting the online dating sites on the Internet, proportionally. A flurry of measure is by looking at the number of unique users dating services compared to the total amount for the platform. For Internet a flurry of comparing unique visitors online dating sites and the total number of people using the Internet, which amounted to 12% in June 2010 and 13% in June 2011. For mobile applications a flurry of comparing unique users of mobile dating applications and any applications that resulted15 per cent in June 2010, and 17% in June 2011.

And the report shows that the number of people using dating applications is growing faster than the number, using all of the applications. In General, 125% for the year, while the number of unique users with mobile dating applications increased by 150% over the same period has increased the number of unique users of all applications.

For the background of a flurry of apps and find top dating sites Match.com, eHarmony, PlentyOfFish, Zoosk, Jazzed up online dating, Skout and Grindr.

Taking into account these data it seems that there is a huge market opportunity in mobile dating and include local and location-based functionality. And this trend that startups, such as LikeALittle has caught on.

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Dashwire HTC buys mobile Web services company for up to $ 18.5 million

Robin Wauters is currently staff writer for TechCrunch and lead editor of Virtualization.com. In addition to its activities, professional blogging, he is an entrepreneur, the organizer of the event, from time to time the Council consultant and an angel investor, but the most important champion of the full launch. He lives and works in Belgium, a small country in Europe. He can often be found work from their home or ... ? Read More

Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC today announced that it agreed to acquire through its HTC America holding, 100% of the company Dashwire Seattle-based mobile web services for maximum purchase price of $ 18.5 million to increase their mobile cloud services gifts HTCSense.com.

Dashwire offers a wide range of consumer, social and device management software services for mobile operators, device makers and retailers. The company's platform is available for Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian and BlackBerry.

On its Web site the Dashwire said he relies on investors ' built wireless industry and technology in cellular McCaw, Western wireless, Voicestream, Nextel, China Unicom and Microsoft.

Another investor is the best buy capital, retail giant investment arm.

At the end of last year, Dashwire raised $ 1 million in debt financing.

The company was founded by CEO Ford Davidson, former product manager in the mobile group at Microsoft. Dashwire, Technical Director, James Prudente, helped build the essential elements of the Amazon web operation in the early days and helped to establish the Amazon mobile group.

Relating to:

HTC smartphone maker buys S3 Graphics from VIA, WTI for $ 300 million

HTC company invests in Saffron digital media delivery platform

HTC Corp. (TAIEX: 2498) produces smartphones running Android and Windows Mobile for yourself and as OEM for other manufacturers. Since the beginning of your own brand.

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Dashwire offers the leading mobile-web connected services platform for mobile operators, device manufacturers and retailers to seamlessly deliver a new generation of real-time consumer and social control.

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Augme technologies for the acquisition of mobile advertising firm Hipcricket for $ 44.5 million.

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Mobile marketing service, Augme technologies, today announced that it will acquire Hipcricket, mobile marketing and advertising platform for $ 44.5 million — $ 6 million of whom are in cash and $ 38.5 million. $. United States in the common stock. Hipcricket's shareholders must approve the purchase before it can be finalized, however, the transaction also call for a 12-month payment to make out an additional $ 27.5 million, it seems that the deal would be approved. Augme will take on all Hipcricket in over 50 employees, but firm mobile ad will continue to operate from its offices in Kirkland, Washington.

We profiled Augme in June as a company under the radar on the rise in the mobile advertising space, when she released the latest version of its life ads platform. As we wrote at the time "Ad life allows marketers, brands and agencies to plan, build, test, deploy, and track mobile marketing programs — with the most notable feature of the patented technology Augme is now the fact that he is able to reach target groups the remaining device agnostic".

Purchase Augme in Hipcricket should be hot on the heels of its acquisition Jagtag for $ 5.5 million two weeks ago. Jagtag specializes in barcodes and QR codes and Hipcricket offers marketing solutions that include SMS, MMS, mobile websites, advertising networks, and branded applications, Augme is firing on all cylinders in an attempt to round out its platform.

"We expect additional resources Augme, JAGTAG and Hipcricket, combined, will provide the most powerful Augme mobile marketing solutions best of breed global brand leaders, backed by strong intellectual property portfolio, including patented technology and software as a service technology platform (" SaaS ")," said Augme Director Paul arena.

Augme publicly traded on the over the counter bulletin board since 2002. Total income of the company in 2011, $ 2.8 million, but Augme management told me last month that it expects revenue to 16 million dollars in the fiscal year 2012 and will achieve positive cash flow next year. The company is being prepared as a hot growth sector (Gartner expects mobile ad revenue hit $ 3.3 billion until the end of 2011, more than double revenue in 2010 — and the hockey stick-2015 to $ 20.6 billion), it wouldn't be surprising to see the company continue to acquire attractive mobile solutions, adding his puzzle pieces, as it makes the game to become a leader in the field of mobile marketing.

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The area is now processing $ 4 million in mobile payments per day

Leena Rao is currently working as a writer for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school of the Medill School of journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007 she helped lead efforts for advocacy and community relationships Congressman Carloyn Maloney in New York. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003 where it was ... ? Read More

Flush with $ 100 million in new funding, the area continues to grow as weeds in the space of mobile payments. After passing the mark of $ 3 million at the end of may, every day now is $ 4 million in mobile payments and is on track to achieve more than $ 100 million in transactions in July. And COO Keith Rabois tells us that he expects the company to double the volume by October.

At the end of June the area raised a massive round of financing, which valued the company above $ 1 billion. While the announcement revealed that the area was nearly $ 4 million payments a day, but the company surpassed Mark a month later. Rabois tells us that the international expansion is part of the next phase of economic growth. He looked forward to the possibility of payment of the initial launch of the outside of the United States in 2012.

And the iPad using square is on the rise, especially after the company launched subversive new application iPad replace cash registers, and loyalty cards. Breakdown in terms of use are the iPad (21%), iPhone (45%), iPod (3%) and Android (31%).

Last year, the area has sent more than 500 000 credit cards readers, processed more than 1 million transactions per month. And square device now sold in Apple stores.

In principle, if you do not accept square seriously, perhaps you should reconsider.

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