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	<title>TechZulu</title>
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	<link>http://techzulu.com</link>
	<description>At the Center of Tech</description>
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		<title>ParkMe Launches Android App To Help Users Find The Cheapest &amp; Closest Parking Around</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/parkme-launches-android-app-to-help-users-find-the-cheapest-closest-parking-around/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/parkme-launches-android-app-to-help-users-find-the-cheapest-closest-parking-around/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 04:13:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam Wakoba</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apps & Software]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPhone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[App]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[INRIX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ParkMe]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21406</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>ParkMe has launched its Android app in a move that will enable motorists using Android devices easily locate parking spaces near them.

The team announced, "Park your car smarter and faster with ParkMe, the world's largest and most accurate database of parking info. Download our free award-winning parking app, now available on Android to find the cheapest, closest parking around!"</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/parkme-launches-android-app-to-help-users-find-the-cheapest-closest-parking-around/">ParkMe Launches Android App To Help Users Find The Cheapest &#038; Closest Parking Around</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/googleplayparkme.jpg" rel="lightbox[21406]" title="ParkMe Launches Android App To Help Users Find The Cheapest & Closest Parking Around"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-21407" alt="googleplayparkme" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/googleplayparkme-300x146.jpg" width="300" height="146" /></a>ParkMe has launched its <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.parkme.consumer" target="_blank">Android app</a> in a move that will enable motorists using Android devices easily locate parking spaces near them.</p>
<p>The team announced, &#8220;Park your car smarter and faster with ParkMe, the world&#8217;s largest and most accurate database of parking info. Download our free award-winning parking app, now available on Android to find the cheapest, closest parking around!&#8221;</p>
<p>Launched in Los Angeles early 2012 by Sam Friedman and Alex Israel, ParkMe is a free app that helps users find the closest, cheapest parking nearby and displays <b>real-time</b> availability at select destinations, ParkMe now covers over 19 countries and on three continents but it was only available for iPad and iPhone and as a widget.<a href="http://techzulu.com/parkme-launches-android-app-to-help-users-find-the-cheapest-closest-parking-around/parkme/" rel="attachment wp-att-21409"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-21409" alt="parkme" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/parkme.png" width="288" height="512" /></a></p>
<h2><strong>ParkMe&#8217;s Android Features</strong></h2>
<p>The launch of its Android app is expected to help reach out to more users of ParkMe&#8217;s free app and database.  The Android app has a database of  lots and garages in a users area, shows current parking fees from various providers for a user to compare costs. It also has a parking timer to help users avoid overstaying, overpaying or getting a ticket. Its real-time space view has exact info on exactly how many spots are open in a particular garage or lot while its direct to driveway shows drivers directions when they decide on a specific lot or garage.</p>
<p>The founders promise users that they are not just good at helping them locate city parking lots.</p>
<p>Daniel Schuler, the Android lead at ParkMe told TechZulu, &#8221; ParkMe already has an iOS app available, so Android is a natural choice by market share alone. I&#8217;m also excited about the flexibility that Android offers, with Intent integration, desktop and lockscreen widgets&#8221;</p>
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<h2>More Than City Parking Lots</h2>
<p>The Android app is another move to have the cities parking lots covered.</p>
<p>&#8220;Whether you&#8217;re looking for city parking, sports parking or special event parking, ParkMe&#8217;s got it covered. Get parking info before you leave the house, or pull over and use the app when you&#8217;re close to your destination. With prices laid out on the map, you can always easily compare parking options,&#8221; they team said.</p>
<h2><strong>Available in Over 500 Cities</strong></h2>
<p>ParkMe&#8217;s database contains parking spots in over 500 cities around the world including the Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Austin, Houston, Washington D.C., San Diego, Santa Monica, Denver, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, Phoenix, New Orleans, Portland, Miami and several others in the US.  Ottawa, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Quebec City in Canada while in Europe ParkMe has covered London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Munich, Frankfurt, Prague, Vienna and several others.</p>
<h2><strong> Recent Partnership</strong></h2>
<p>Just <a href="http://techzulu.com/parkme-inrix-partner-during-the-2013-consumer-electronics-show-to-help-drivers-outsmart-parking/" target="_blank">recently</a>, ParkMe partnered with <a href="http://www.inrix.com/">INRIX</a>, a leading international provider of traffic information and driver services to help drivers outsmart parking during the March Consumer Electronics Show (CES).</p>
<p>ParkMe brought its real-time and static Parking expertise and car navigation systems to INRIX for in-car and mobile use. INRIX  sourced data from ParkMe’s over 18,000 parking facilities in North America  for  traffic information, directions and driver services, apps and intelligent traffic tools to power solutions to the traffic sector rapidly.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/parkme-launches-android-app-to-help-users-find-the-cheapest-closest-parking-around/">ParkMe Launches Android App To Help Users Find The Cheapest &#038; Closest Parking Around</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>A Full Breakdown of why Google+ gets a C- in User Experience</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/a-full-breakdown-of-why-google-gets-a-c-in-user-experience/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/a-full-breakdown-of-why-google-gets-a-c-in-user-experience/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2013 17:09:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Yukai Chou</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apps & Software]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dev & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google I/O]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google plus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[User Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[user experience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UX]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21396</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Last week, Google hosted their annual developer's conference Google I/O, announcing some exciting new products and releases that will likely change the world in the few years to come.
And of course, one of the products that were heavily discussed about was Google+.</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/a-full-breakdown-of-why-google-gets-a-c-in-user-experience/">A Full Breakdown of why Google+ gets a C- in User Experience</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2 style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><strong><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-Plus-icon.png" rel="lightbox[21396]" title="A Full Breakdown of why Google+ gets a C- in User Experience"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-21398" alt="google-Plus-icon" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/google-Plus-icon-300x300.png" width="210" height="210" /></a>New Google+ announced in last week&#8217;s Google I/O</strong></h2>
<p style="margin-bottom: 5px;"><strong></strong>Last week, Google hosted their annual developer&#8217;s conference <a title="Google I/O" href="https://developers.google.com/events/io/" target="_blank">Google I/O</a>, announcing some exciting new products and releases that will likely change the world in the few years to come.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 5px;">And of course, one of the products that were heavily discussed about was <a title="Google+" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google%2B" target="_blank">Google+</a>.</p>
<h2 style="margin-bottom: 5px;">Google+ is like the Bing for Microsoft<strong></strong></h2>
<p>It&#8217;s quite obvious Google has been pouring a ton of resources into trying to make Google+ successful. However, like many &#8220;social&#8221; projects, it is a bit underwhelming.</p>
<p>During the conference, many attendees focused on the question, &#8220;How does Google envision USERS to see Google+?&#8221; Google responded that Google+ is very useful as a social layer on top of all their existing products, but still left out the big question, &#8220;Why should users fall in love with Google+?&#8221; Even the new release didn&#8217;t address that question properly.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s odd that with so many intimidatingly smart people working on it, it still isn&#8217;t that great of a product (distribution is great by the way. That&#8217;s why there are so many users, but it&#8217;s not the merit of the product itself). I therefore decided to put together a slide deck to explain why the smart talent may be a cause of the problem, some design flaws relating to usability and user experience, as well as a modified focus. The slide deck is titled, &#8220;Why Google+ Sucks and What to do about it.&#8221;</p>
<p><iframe style="border: 1px solid #CCC; border-width: 1px 1px 0; margin-bottom: 5px;" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/21314760" height="480" width="576" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<h2>Key Lesson: Making Mainstream Users Feel Smart</h2>
<p>The focus on the slide deck is to walk through the frustrations a mainstream user would have while using the Google+ product, which leads to the users &#8220;feeling dumb.&#8221; It points out in detail all the design flaws within the product that makes users grab their hair with frustration.</p>
<p>The slide deck is 129 slides, but don&#8217;t let that intimate you, as most slides only have one sentence in them and it reads quickly and I&#8217;ve heard it brings out quite a few laughs. Enjoy.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/a-full-breakdown-of-why-google-gets-a-c-in-user-experience/">A Full Breakdown of why Google+ gets a C- in User Experience</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Intro to the LA Startup Scene</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/intro-to-the-la-startup-scene/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/intro-to-the-la-startup-scene/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 23:27:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Espree Devora</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Avesta Rasouli]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coloft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Digital LA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[espree devora]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[general assembly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Winston]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Launchpad LA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Los Angeles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mark Suster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael carney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pando daily]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rustic Canyon Partners]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sam teller]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[start up community]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21342</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Article after article points out that Los Angeles is on its way to becoming one of the most robust startup communities in the United States.  We have seen this growth first hand, and are always impressed by the community’s appetite for learning new age technical skills. A class we produce here at General Assembly called “Intro to the LA Startup Community”, has turned into a series, each time presented by a different prominent person in the startup ecosystem providing a unique perspective on the tech scene in LA.</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/intro-to-the-la-startup-scene/">Intro to the LA Startup Scene</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><i>Guest article by <a href="https://twitter.com/EsqEntrepreneur" target="_blank">Eva Hibnick</a> with <a href="https://generalassemb.ly/los-angeles" target="_blank">General Assembly LA</a></i></p>
<p>Article after article points out that Los Angeles is on its way to becoming one of the most robust startup communities in the United States.  We have seen this growth first hand, and are always impressed by the community’s appetite for learning new age technical skills. A class we produce here at General Assembly called <a href="https://generalassemb.ly/education/intro-to-the-la-startup-community/los-angeles/1676" target="_blank">“Intro to the LA Startup Community”</a>, has turned into a series, each time presented by a different prominent person in the startup ecosystem providing a unique perspective on the tech scene in LA. The presentation is meant to give an unbiased overview of how to get involved in the tech community; what blogs to read, who to follow on Twitter, who the angel investors are, what areas in LA are home to the most startups and what resources there are to further educate yourself. It is meant to bring everyone together so that they can learn, network and leave with the sense that they now belong to a family of entrepreneurs, all trying to make LA a startup hub.</p>
<p>The first “Intro to the LA Startup Community” back in October 2012 was taught by <a href="https://twitter.com/samteller" target="_blank">Sam Teller</a>, Managing Director of <a href="http://launchpad.la" target="_blank">Launchpad</a>, a four-month accelerator program started by venture capitalist <a href="http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com" target="_blank">Mark Suster</a>. During his presentation, Sam Teller gave people tips on how to connect with high profile people, who are inundated with emails. He also went over the common misconceptions people have, dispelling the belief that Silicon Valley is the only place where you can get access to capital. Sam taught a second rendition of the class in February and over 700 people signed up.</p>
<p>Next up was <a href="https://twitter.com/avestar" target="_blank">Avesta Rasouli</a> from <a href="http://www.coloft.com">Coloft</a>, a coworking space that is considered to be the hub of LA Tech, focused on the elements that make for a great startup community; capital, talent and social networks. Investor <a href="https://twitter.com/nateredmond" target="_blank">Nate Redmond</a> from <a href="http://www.rusticcanyon.com" target="_blank">Rustic Canyon Partners</a> spoke candidly to the audience about the faux pas in approaching investors. <a href="http://pandodaily.com/author/mcarney7/" target="_blank">Michael Carney</a>, a tech reporter for <a href="http://pandodaily.com" target="_blank">Pandodaily</a>, taught how to craft a compelling press release. <a href="https://twitter.com/kevinwinston" target="_blank">Kevin Winston</a> from <a href="http://digitalla.net" target="_blank">Digital LA</a>, a leading LA tech event producer for entertainment and start up events, talked about the emergence of the term <a href="http://siliconbeachfest.com" target="_blank">Silicon Beach</a> and how the entertainment and tech industries have been able to work together. <a href="http://taratigerbrown.com" target="_blank">Tara Brown</a> of <a href="http://www.lamakerspace.com" target="_blank">LA Makerspace</a>, a non-profit member-driven community space for DIYers, focused on the women founders in the tech community and showed the audience how to get more involved. Following her experience teaching the class, she was inspired to write <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/tarabrown/2013/04/16/women-in-tech-were-inittogether/" target="_blank">this article for Forbes</a> where she expressed her amazement at the number of women in LA who are in tech or interested in making the leap into tech.</p>
<p>The event is meant to provide attendees with actionable steps to take to transition into the LA tech scene. If you are interested in obtaining the slide decks from the past &#8220;Intro to the LA Startup Community&#8221; events, you can do so <a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/event/6719623575" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>The next &#8220;Intro to the LA Startup Community&#8221;  with <a href="http://espreedevora.com" target="_blank">Espree Devora</a> sharing insights how to become a <em>Connector</em> will take place Thursday May 16th, at 6:30pm at General Assembly, 1520 2nd Street, Santa Monica 90401.</p>
<p><strong>About General Assembly:</strong></p>
<p>Back in October 2012, <a href="http://generalassemb.ly" target="_blank">General Assembly</a> arrived in Los Angeles. General Assembly has eight other campuses around the world, their flagship campus being in NYC, with the mission of creating a global network of campuses that offers a variety of courses that teach practical skills in the areas of technology, business and design.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" alt="General Assembly Intro to LA Start Ups" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Screen-Shot-2013-05-15-at-7.41.27-PM.png" width="571" height="332" /></p>
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<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/intro-to-the-la-startup-scene/">Intro to the LA Startup Scene</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>CARD.com &#124; Plastic Fashion</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/card-com-plastic-fashion/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/card-com-plastic-fashion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 16:50:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alex Bae</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CARD.com. fashion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fashion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FDIC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mastercard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mobile app]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pre-paid card]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[visa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[visa zero liability]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21310</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Credit and debit cards are so boring to look at.  Banks and credit card companies sometimes offer some sports team designs or “cute’’ animal designs that may liven up the plastic card’s look, but the standard company logo is issued to the owner.  CARD.com is seeking to change the boring plastic colors and bring something much more  fashionable to have in your wallet. </p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/card-com-plastic-fashion/">CARD.com | Plastic Fashion</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Card_Star-Trek.png" rel="lightbox[21310]" title="CARD.com | Plastic Fashion"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-21337" alt="Card_Star Trek" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Card_Star-Trek.png" width="248" height="155" /></a>Credit and debit cards are so boring to look at.  Banks and credit card companies sometimes offer some sports team designs or “cute’’ animal designs that may liven up the plastic card’s look, but the standard company logo is issued to the owner.  <a href="https://www.card.com/" target="_blank">CARD.com</a> is seeking to change the boring plastic colors and bring something much more  fashionable to have in your wallet.  There are over 300 designs to choose from to help you show off your true fashion sense.  But, the fashion isn&#8217;t the only offering from CARD.com; they are also trying to create a better and easier alternative to mobile online banking for users everywhere.</p>
<p>CARD.com uses pre-paid Visa debit cards for users who sign-up.  There are multiple ways to transfer funds to the card such as Paypal, check loads, Green Dot MoneyPak, direct deposit, or even load it from a Western Union.  They want to keep it simple and ensure customers that the card is safe and secure to use with Visa Zero Liability and 100% FDIC insurance.  The card can be used wherever Visa or Mastercards are accepted, which is almost anywhere in the world.  Therefore, you never will be at a place that doesn’t accept your fashionable card.</p>
<p>Withdraw cash from any ATM worldwide and CARD.com provides where the nearest ATMs are available worldwide.  The monthly fees are only $5.95, but the fee can be waived with a direct deposit of at least $800 a month.  There can never be overdraft fees or late fees as the user can only purchase whatever amount is left in the card.  No need to stop by a bank branch anymore, everything can be taken care of online.</p>
<p>CARD.com is putting online mobile banking into a fun, fashionable, and hassle-free experience.  The simple formula of a pre-paid debit card allows users to have another alternative to carrying money without the frustrations of going to a bank.  With a new way of shopping and spending cash, don’t let the plastic weigh your wallet down.  Just let the plastic card do all the talking.</p>
<p>See what cards fits your style <a title="CARD.com" href="https://www.card.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/card-com-plastic-fashion/">CARD.com | Plastic Fashion</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>ChatWork &#124; A New Way to Do Business</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/chatwork-a-new-way-to-do-business/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/chatwork-a-new-way-to-do-business/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 21:16:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alex Bae</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infographic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chatwork]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cloud storage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[infograph]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[instant messaging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iOS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mobile app]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video Chat]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21263</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Cloud systems technology is finding its way onto every online application nowadays.  The freedom to not be bound to a specific system can make life much easier for individuals and groups alike.  ChatWork is implementing the cloud system in their collaboration platform for businesses and individuals to help stay connected and updated</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/chatwork-a-new-way-to-do-business/">ChatWork | A New Way to Do Business</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/chatwork-a-new-way-to-do-business/web_videochat/" rel="attachment wp-att-21265"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-21265" alt="chat" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Web_videochat-300x185.jpg" width="300" height="185" /></a>Cloud systems technology is finding its way onto every online application nowadays.  The freedom to not be bound to a specific system can make life much easier for individuals and groups alike.  <a title="ChatWork" href="http://www.chatwork.com/" target="_blank">ChatWork</a> is implementing the cloud system in their collaboration platform for businesses and individuals to help stay connected and updated.  They also believe that instant messaging is the key to keeping in touch, instead of email which wastes time and money.</p>
<p>According to an infograph ChatWork released, email does not only waste a lot of time to look at, but also wastes a lot of money for companies.  ChatWork uses this information and built a system where instant messaging is one of the main ways to stay connected with others.  No more spam to sift through and stay relevant with important information.  ChatWork also implements their cloud storage system for users to share files online, no matter where they may be.  Users are able upload up to 25GB securely online and always have a backup of the files needed, allowing others to share files at anytime and anywhere.</p>
<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/chatwork-a-new-way-to-do-business/chatwork-ios-screenshots/" rel="attachment wp-att-21266"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-21266" alt="app" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Chatwork-iOS-screenshots-300x170.jpg" width="300" height="170" /></a>Video chat is also a becoming a main staple in business communication.  ChatWork allows you to instantly talk live with another person or hold a meeting from anywhere and at any time.  What’s also great about all these features are that they are all available on ChatWork’s mobile app.  With both iOS and Android versions ready, users can connect on the phone and tablets without being stuck at home or in an office to connect with others.  The mobile app also has push notifications whenever the user is mentioned in a chat or received a private message.</p>
<p>The instant messaging, video chats, cloud storage, and mobile apps are all free of charge to try out and to increase cloud storage and the number of users, pricing starts off at $3.99 a month.  There are no long-term contracts, just a simple monthly payment.  ChatWork wants a simple and hassle-free experience for users to run their businesses much more efficiently.</p>
<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/chatwork-a-new-way-to-do-business/chatwork_infographic_final/" rel="attachment wp-att-21267"><img class="size-medium wp-image-21267 alignleft" alt="infograph" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ChatWork_Infographic_Final-33x300.png" width="33" height="300" /></a>ChatWork wants to revolutionize how businesses and individuals are connected.  When businesses need another form of communicating, ChatWork believes that their system will be the winning formula.  According to ChatWork, they are adding 15,000 new users every month and that just shows ChatWork has a system that simply works.  For ChatWork to grow a larger community, it needs to start implementing more features and refining current available features as well.  As of now, the future already looks bright for ChatWork  and things can only get better.</p>
<p>Go check out the mobile app for the <a title="ChatWork iOS App" href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chatwork-iphone-edition/id463672966?mt=8" target="_blank">iOS </a>and <a title="ChatWork Android App" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.ecstudio.chatworkandroid" target="_blank">Android</a>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/chatwork-a-new-way-to-do-business/">ChatWork | A New Way to Do Business</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Retro-bit Super Retro Console &#124; Play Old-School Games Again</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/retro-bit-super-retro-console-play-old-school-games-again/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/retro-bit-super-retro-console-play-old-school-games-again/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 16:44:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Alex Bae</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gadgets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[console]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[E3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gameboy advance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[innex inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retro-bit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sega]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sega genesis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[snes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[super retro adapter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[super retro console]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video Games]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21237</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>In the mid 80s and early 90s, the tech world was all about video games.  Nintendo started a revival of the video game industry and every child and adult were equally having a great time playing games at the arcades and at home.  The Original NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis provided homes with endless fun and entertainment, but those consoles are long gone and only a handful of people still hold on to such old relics.  Innex, Inc. is planning to bring the old-school consoles back into gamer’s hands by selling the Super Retro Console and Adapter by Retro-bit.</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/retro-bit-super-retro-console-play-old-school-games-again/">Retro-bit Super Retro Console | Play Old-School Games Again</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/retro-bit-super-retro-console-play-old-school-games-again/wwm7cei61ie96o55l37sg6vlzdemyzd4dmr_2z2ptbi/" rel="attachment wp-att-21239"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-21239" alt="games" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/wwM7cei61ie96o55L37Sg6VLZdEmYZD4dmr_2z2PTbI-300x191.jpg" width="300" height="191" /></a>In the mid 80s and early 90s, the tech world was all about video games.  Nintendo started a revival of the video game industry and every child and adult were equally having a great time playing games at the arcades and at home.  The Original NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis provided homes with endless fun and entertainment, but those consoles are long gone and only a handful of people still hold on to such old relics.  Innex, Inc. is planning to bring the old-school consoles back into gamer’s hands by selling the Super Retro Console and Adapter by Retro-bit.</p>
<p>Retro-bit is manufacturing two items for the nostalgic gamers; the Super Retro Console and the Super Retro Adapter.  The Super Retro Console allows you to play original Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis games.  The console comes with three different cartridge slots, six controller ports (supports both first party and third party controllers), an AC adapter, an S-Video connection, and an AV cable.  The suggestive retail price is $69.99 for your gaming pleasure.  The console looks sleek and compact, and the ability to play three different types of games gives gamers less clutter to have around the house.</p>
<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/retro-bit-super-retro-console-play-old-school-games-again/rf1brivzmo7ii7p8cls9althu4evb_kraddpcnc4zg8s2avk07zdanzf4jb2uzh7yuii08kxdz5xso1hig3vww/" rel="attachment wp-att-21240"><img class="size-medium wp-image-21240 alignright" alt="retro" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/RF1BrIVZMo7Ii7P8cLS9AltHu4eVB_KrAddpcnC4ZG8s2avK07ZdANzf4JB2UZh7YuiI08Kxdz5XSo1Hig3VWw-300x257.jpg" width="300" height="257" /></a>The Super Retro Adapter lets you play Gameboy Advance games on the Super Retro Console. Another great thing about the Super Adapter is, the Super Retro Console is not needed to use the Retro Adapter.  The Adapter can play on the original Super Nintendo or any other third party 16-bit console.  It even has ports (cables sold separately) to connect up to three more Gameboy Advance systems to play four-man gaming.  The Adapter SRP is $39.99.  Buying both the Console and Adapter as a bundle, the SRP is $89.99.  With the affordable price points, Retro-bit is ready to give gamers a reason to look into the past.</p>
<p>Innex, Inc. is not only selling the Retro-bit gaming console, but they have been offering many other products such as video game accessories to &#8220;geek&#8221; inspired toys to the public.  With a ton of toys and gadgets for the public to buy, they have been offering unique products that can be hard to get elsewhere.  Innex, Inc. may only be selling to a niche group of consumers, but they have found a group that will always be enjoying the products they offer.</p>
<p>Innex, Inc. is going to be showing the Retro-bit gaming consoles at the E3 Expo this year, with a plethora of other toys and gadgets they have in their inventory.  Retro-bit is bringing a blast from the past for casual and hardcore gamers alike.  With a sleek design and an affordable price point, there isn’t anything for gamers to not like from the package.  Instead of finding, fixing, or paying high prices for working old-school consoles, the Retro-bit gaming console has you covered.</p>
<p>Visit <a title="Innex, Inc." href="http://innexinc.com/" target="_blank">Innex, Inc.</a> to get your geek on!</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/retro-bit-super-retro-console-play-old-school-games-again/">Retro-bit Super Retro Console | Play Old-School Games Again</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>You’ve Landed a Round of VC Funding…Now What?</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/youve-landed-a-round-of-vc-funding-now-what/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/youve-landed-a-round-of-vc-funding-now-what/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 16:30:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David Ehrenberg</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Funding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capital]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[entrepreneur]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Financial]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[funding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[VC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[VC funding]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21233</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Once you have a VC on the hook, you’ll want to negotiate the best deal in terms of valuation and deal terms.  Once you’ve reached an agreement, you’re done…or not!
Far from the end, receiving funding is actually just the beginning of a whole new stage for you and for your company —a stage full of financial statements, board meetings with VCs and more. A lot is about to change…</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/youve-landed-a-round-of-vc-funding-now-what/">You’ve Landed a Round of VC Funding…Now What?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/vc-funding-now-what.jpg" rel="lightbox[21233]" title="You’ve Landed a Round of VC Funding…Now What?"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-21234" alt="vc-funding-now-what" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/vc-funding-now-what-300x168.jpg" width="300" height="168" /></a>Once you have a VC on the hook, you’ll want to negotiate the best deal in terms of valuation and deal terms (for more details about negotiating the best terms, check out my previous post: <a href="http://earlygrowthfinancialservices.com/9-ways-to-negotiate-your-best-vc-terms/" target="_blank">9 Ways to Negotiate Your Best VC Terms</a>). Once you’ve reached an agreement, you’re done…or not!</p>
<p>Far from the end, receiving funding is actually just the beginning of a whole new stage for you and for your company —a stage full of financial statements, board meetings with VCs and more. A lot is about to change…</p>
<p>The early days will set the tone so take the following steps to build a positive working relationship with your investors:</p>
<p><strong>1. Define “success.”</strong> If you’re doing milestone funding, presumably the VC is on board with your proposed milestones, but this is worth confirming. Make clear what milestones you are shooting for with this funding round and get VC buy-in. If necessary, break down your “to-do” list of performance objectives into what you are definitely planning on attacking, and what is on your “maybe” list—if there is enough time and money. In this way you can manage your VC’s expectations and avoid issues further down the road.</p>
<p>Agreeing to terms of “success” is also useful in that it is a bridge to a Series B. If you have achieved your milestones and need more capital, your existing VC might agree to insider-led financing, saving you the hassle of trying to find new investors for Series B.</p>
<p><strong>2. Create a structure.</strong> Create a structure for the relationship that keeps the VC informed and involved at a level that you both are comfortable with and that ensures that you are maximizing their benefit for the success of the company. For example, how often should you report out to the VC? Do they want monthly GAAP financial statements? You should review these types of questions with your VC and agree to the terms.</p>
<p><strong>3. Establish what you expect from your investors. </strong>The VC/entrepreneur relationship can sometimes feel like a one-way street, but it shouldn’t. If the VC believes in you enough to invest in your company, then what you have is a partnership. In any partnership, there are expectations and ground rules from both parties. Do you expect timely feedback? Active networking assistance? Do you have particular rules for board meetings? Clearly you don’t want to go too far with your rules, but establishing some fair and clear rules of engagement makes sense for both you and your VC.</p>
<p><strong>4. Be transparent. </strong>As with any relationship, honesty with your VC is the best policy. If you’re encountering some bumps in the road, there’s no sense in trying to hide these from your VC—the truth will out, at some point. You want to create a trusting relationship with your VC and you do this through transparency and honesty.</p>
<p>Depending on your VC’s level of involvement with your company, you may wish to seek their counsel in finding solutions to the problems you encounter. More importantly, when you run into a problem, you need to be prepared to propose workable solutions. In other words, don’t just tell the VC that you’re facing some challenges; show them that you are successfully managing the situation and taking steps to resolve the problems you are facing. This breeds confidence.</p>
<p><strong>Ultimately your relationship with your VC is money-based. </strong>They’ve given you capital and are expecting a certain percentage of return on their investment. Making money for your VC is the best way to ensure a great working relationship. Unfortunately, no startup is a sure thing so, while you certainly want to give your VC the kind of returns they are looking for, there are never any guarantees. <strong>What you can control are the non-money aspects of your relationship. </strong>If you can create conditions under which the VC trusts and likes you—and understands what you are doing—then you’re in a good position to get further rounds or future VC money for a new startup that may be somewhere down the road for you.</p>
<p><em>How are you working to build a good relationship with your investors?</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/youve-landed-a-round-of-vc-funding-now-what/">You’ve Landed a Round of VC Funding…Now What?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Talenthouse &amp; TechZulu Hackathon! &#124; Creative Discovery and Sharing of Art</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/talenthouse-techzulu-hackathon/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/talenthouse-techzulu-hackathon/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 23:42:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle Ellicott</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apps & Software]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dev & Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TechZulu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Creative]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Designers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Developers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hackathon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Talenthouse]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21227</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>As creators, developers, and hackers, we love a good challenge and even more so with time restrictions. We also enjoy spending weekends in front of the computer working on new projects or building the next mobile app. It’s our fuel. Myself included. The West Hollywood based team over at Talenthouse feels the same way. With us all in agreement on how we enjoy spending our weekends, there’s only one thing to do...hackathon!</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/talenthouse-techzulu-hackathon/">Talenthouse &#038; TechZulu Hackathon! | Creative Discovery and Sharing of Art</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TH_TZ-Hack-V2.jpg" rel="lightbox[21227]" title="Talenthouse & TechZulu Hackathon! | Creative Discovery and Sharing of Art"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-21219" alt="TH_TZ-Hack-V2" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/TH_TZ-Hack-V2-300x300.jpg" width="240" height="240" /></a>As creators, developers, and hackers, we love a good challenge and even more so with time restrictions. We also enjoy spending weekends in front of the computer working on new projects or building the next mobile app. It’s our fuel. Myself included. The West Hollywood based team over at Talenthouse feels the same way. With us all in agreement on how we enjoy spending our weekends, there’s only one thing to do&#8230;hackathon!</p>
<p>We here at TechZulu put our heads together with the people at Talenthouse to bring you an exciting weekend of hacking, music, food, art, and Hollywood quality entertainment. The event will focus on solutions driving creative discovery and sharing of art. Talenthouse will be opening up their platform containing over 20 million pieces of creative to assist participants in their development.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.eventbrite.com/tickets-external?eid=6646049513&amp;ref=etckt&amp;v=2" height="315" width="100%" frameborder="0" marginwidth="5" marginheight="5" scrolling="auto"></iframe></p>
<p>The hackathon will take place the evening of <strong>June 7th &amp; all day June 8th</strong> at the amazing Talenthouse offices in West Hollywood. After a weekend of hacking we&#8217;ll have awards for the best/most exciting projects selected by an all-star cast of judges. This is Hollywood after all people. Look for the announcement of the judging panel in the coming weeks.</p>
<h2>Judging Panel</h2>
<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/talenthouse-techzulu-hackathon/talenthouse-judges/" rel="attachment wp-att-21437"><img class="size-full wp-image-21437 aligncenter" alt="talenthouse-judges" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/talenthouse-judges.jpg" width="410" height="275" /></a></p>
<p>We&#8217;re excited to annouce part of our judging panel with some great influencers - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_DeWolfe">Chris DeWolfe</a> of SGN and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Cohen%20">Ted Cohan</a> of TAG Strateic</p>
<h2>Want to Sponsor?</h2>
<p>We currently have sponsorship slots open If you would like to be part of this amazing event and show your support for Community. Contact us at sponsor@techzulu.com.</p>
<ul>
<li>Sponsorship Opportunities for Events, and other channels</li>
<li>Sponsored giveaways and contests</li>
<li>Custom ad deals and partnerships</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>About Talenthouse:</strong></p>
<p>Talenthouse is the world’s platform for creative collaboration, connecting aspiring talent, established artists and brand advertisers. Artists always retain ownership of their own work using Talenthouse as a platform to collaborate, grow their audience and monetize their work. Brands choose Talenthouse to engage in a dialogue with consumers in an entertaining, relevant and credible context.</p>
<p>Talenthouse is where artists and brands engage to build an authentic community that rewards creativity and unlocks the value of collaboration.</p>
<p>Our mission is to liberate all artists.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/talenthouse-techzulu-hackathon/">Talenthouse &#038; TechZulu Hackathon! | Creative Discovery and Sharing of Art</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Appallicious &amp; the Age of Open Data</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/appallicious-the-age-of-open-data/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/appallicious-the-age-of-open-data/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 17:12:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mike Montgomery</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apps & Software]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Blackberry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPhone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alan Silberberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Appallicious]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gov 2.0]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jay Nath]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Local Government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mashable]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Open Data]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rec & Park]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Francisco]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21166</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>To quote the great philosopher, Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
As fast as life moves, technology moves even faster. It only took Facebook eight years to land a billion users. Twitter hit the five hundred million mark in just six years. Apple’s App Store launched in 2008 and is already closing in on 50 billion downloads.</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/appallicious-the-age-of-open-data/">Appallicious &#038; the Age of Open Data</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Appallicious-Logo.png" rel="lightbox[21166]" title="Appallicious & the Age of Open Data"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-21215" alt="Appallicious Logo" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Appallicious-Logo.png" width="180" height="180" /></a>To quote the great philosopher, Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”</p>
<p>As fast as life moves, technology moves even faster. It only took Facebook eight years to land a billion users. Twitter hit the five hundred million mark in just six years. Apple’s App Store launched in 2008 and is already closing in on 50 billion downloads.</p>
<p>Government, in contrast, does not move quickly. Especially on the local level, and <i>especially</i> when it comes to embracing technology. Want to take a trip down memory lane? Catch a glimpse of what the Internet was like five years ago? Ten years ago? All you have to do is fire up a municipal website. Chances are you’ll come face-to-face with a dusty web design with information buried behind confusing menus, documents with inscrutable titles, and slideshows that move at the speed of continental drift.</p>
<p>As more and more people carry an Internet connection in their pocket wherever they go, many local governments are struggling to effectively serve their citizens. People don’t need a Hall of Records. They need information at their fingertips. They need a government that is more open, more available; a government that speaks their technological language.</p>
<p>Enter <a href="http://www.appallicious.com/" target="_blank">Appallicious</a>, the brainchild of San Francisco innovator, Yo Yoshida. The former Founding Director of the nonprofit <a href="http://www.underthebaobabtree.org/" target="_blank">Under the Baobab Tree</a>, Yoshida is a Government 2.0 evangelist, and his goal with Appallicious is to transform the way governments and citizens engage. Here’s how Jeremy Wallenberg, Director of External Affairs for <a href="http://www.sfciti.com/" target="_blank">San Francisco Citizens Initiative for Technology and Innovation</a>, described Yoshida’s work:</p>
<blockquote><p> Yo and his team have spent years developing a revolutionary technology utilizing open data that makes it easier for San Francisco residents to effectively engage with City Hall and elected representatives. The Appallicious platform is an invaluable tool helping San Franciscans find and navigate through city parks, playgrounds and museums.</p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Appallicious_-Post.png" rel="lightbox[21166]" title="Appallicious & the Age of Open Data"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-21214" alt="Appallicious_ Post" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Appallicious_-Post-300x111.png" width="300" height="111" /></a>One way Appallicious is already helping the City of San Francisco better connect with its citizens is the free Rec &amp; Park app, developed in 2012, which utilizes open data to provide information on the city’s many parks. Or as <a href="http://mashable.com/2012/11/07/open-data-city-apps/" target="_blank"><em>Mashable</em> described it</a> in more detail:</p>
<blockquote><p> The app… helps people find and navigate thousands of parks, playgrounds, dog runs, museums, recreation centers, picnic tables, gardens, public restrooms and other points of interest and facilities that are maintained by the city of San Francisco.</p></blockquote>
<p>The Appallicious Rec &amp; Park app is just one example of the good that can come from the utilization of government data. The platform is also being used by SFArts and the San Francisco Department of Public Health to create useful tools for the public using open data—stay tuned for these new apps which are due out later this year.</p>
<p>The software created by Appallicious is easy to scale and gives governments the ability to build apps in a number of days rather than months—as long as there is open data available.</p>
<p>So what is open data?  According to the Open Knowledge Foundation, “Open data is data that can be freely used, reused and redistributed by anyone—subject only, at most, to the requirement to attribute and sharealike.”  Trailblazing Government 2.0 advocate <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/alanwsilberberg" target="_blank">Alan Silberberg</a> calls open data “Information that was previously only available via fax, paper or walking into an office that can now be found in a media form that can be used on websites or mobile phones.”</p>
<p>Phil Ginsburg, the visionary General Manager of San Francisco’s Recreation and Park<i> </i>Department, says that, “Open data allows government to leverage the talents of app developers all for the benefit of those relying on our services and programs.”  Ginsburg reminds citizens that no personal information is shared with app developers.  The anonymous data is being utilized to serve residents in ways never before envisioned by government or private industry.  “It’s a win-win,” says Ginsburg.</p>
<p>In order to get the Rec &amp; Park app off the ground, Appallicious worked with San Francisco city leaders like Ginsburg and San Francisco CIO <a href="https://twitter.com/Jay_Nath" target="_blank">Jay Nath</a> to revise open data legislation, steps other cities will need to take in order to fully leverage the power of mobile apps and social networks to reach their citizens. According to Yoshida, every major city in America could have its own Rec &amp; Park app within a year—all they have to do is embrace the age of open data.</p>
<p>Technology moves fast. Platforms like Appallicious can help governments keep up.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/appallicious-the-age-of-open-data/">Appallicious &#038; the Age of Open Data</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Yekra’s Digital Rights Distribution and AffiliateConnect Platform Raises $3M</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/yekras-digital-rights-distribution-and-affiliateconnect-platform-raises-3m/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/yekras-digital-rights-distribution-and-affiliateconnect-platform-raises-3m/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 15:37:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Desdemona Bandini</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bray Capital]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Danny Trejo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ed Hardy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Maurice Gallagher]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tattoo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tattoo Nation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trvis Barker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yekra]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21176</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Content is king, and local startup Yekra has just secured $3 million in funding for their digital rights distribution service for the every man. In the digital age, streaming content is profitable for producers, but now digital rights management (DRM) is not just for big studios but for independent content creators as well.</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/yekras-digital-rights-distribution-and-affiliateconnect-platform-raises-3m/">Yekra’s Digital Rights Distribution and AffiliateConnect Platform Raises $3M</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<center><iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J0h5Tdw_3UY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Yekra.jpg" rel="lightbox[21176]" title="Yekra’s Digital Rights Distribution and AffiliateConnect Platform Raises $3M"><img class="size-full wp-image-21182 alignleft" alt="Yekra" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Yekra.jpg" width="270" height="187" /></a></p>
<p>Content is king, and local startup <a href="http://www.yekra.com">Yekra</a> has just secured $3 million in funding for their digital rights distribution service for the every man. In the digital age, streaming content is profitable for producers, but now digital rights management (DRM) is not just for big studios but for independent content creators as well.</p>
<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Tattoo-2.jpg" rel="lightbox[21176]" title="Yekra’s Digital Rights Distribution and AffiliateConnect Platform Raises $3M"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-21183" alt="Tattoo 2" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Tattoo-2.jpg" width="178" height="178" /></a>Yekra has introduced the first DRM-protected player that can run on any connected device or screen. This traveling player can allow direct digital rentals from any blog, Facebook page, Twitter profile or other online site. Their baked in marketing technology helps producers determine the best distribution system by matching genres with online viewers demographics across 4,000 affiliate sites. Revenue is shared between the producer, affiliates and Yekra to create the widest market window available, while maintaining digital rights protection. Yekra also allows creators to establish an exclusivity rights period and set up distribution to other platforms including Netflix and Hulu Plus.</p>
<p>Lee Waterworth, President of Yekra said, “Today we pioneer the first system that both protects the content it distributes and makes it accessible to anyone – anywhere – with the capability to generate revenue on a cost-effective basis from day one.”</p>
<p>Yekra plans to bolster the public launch of AffiliateConnect with more titles from notable filmmakers. Debuting on Yekra is the new documentary “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0h5Tdw_3UY">Tattoo Nation”</a> that follows the ink culture evolution from jail houses to art houses with appearances by Ed Hardy, Danny Trejo and Travis Barker.</p>
<p>Yekra was established in 2011 by Lee Waterworth, Sonya Waterworth, Miles Romney and Chris Larson built around the launch of documentary film <a href="http://www.thrivemovement.com/the_movie">“Thrive”</a> reaching more than 12 million viewers at $5 each for digital rental. AffiliateConnect technology has been in development for two years, built on the success of the digital distribution around this first film. The company has been funded for $3.1M by angel investor Maurice Gallagher and UK’s Bray Capital.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/yekras-digital-rights-distribution-and-affiliateconnect-platform-raises-3m/">Yekra’s Digital Rights Distribution and AffiliateConnect Platform Raises $3M</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Experimental Transmedia Film “The Cosmonaut” Tests New Distribution Methods</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/the-cosmonaut-new-distribution-methods/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/the-cosmonaut-new-distribution-methods/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 06:24:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Desdemona Bandini</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Funding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nicolas Alcala]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Riot Cinema Collective]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Share-alike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Cosmonaut]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21109</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Not just a new film, “The Cosmonaut” is a labor of love four years in the making, crowdsourced and created with a plan to test the boundaries of transmedia content distribution worldwide. The project was started by a group of young Spanish digerati called Riot Cinema Collective. Using the power of the Internet’s connected tools they are proposing a new film model from financing, distribution, production and user participation by fostering a hardcore community under a Share-alike Creative Commons license.</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/the-cosmonaut-new-distribution-methods/">Experimental Transmedia Film “The Cosmonaut” Tests New Distribution Methods</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bJsI8QXZ4bM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><p>Not just a new film, <a href="http://www.thecosmonaut.org/" target="_blank">“The Cosmonaut”</a> is a labor of love four years in the making, crowdsourced and created with a plan to test the boundaries of transmedia content distribution worldwide. The project was started by a group of young Spanish digerati called <a href="http://riotcinema.com/" target="_blank">Riot Cinema Collective</a>. Using the power of the Internet’s connected tools they are proposing a new film model from financing, distribution, production and user participation by fostering a hardcore community under a <a title="Share-alike" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Share-alike" target="_blank">Share-alike</a> Creative Commons license. This allows users to download, lend, re-cut or use the film footage to create new derivatives of the work. It’s ambitious, it’s genius, it’s innovative <b>and it’s all going down May 14<sup>th</sup> worldwide</b> on multiscreens, with multiple endings, live theatre troupes, and free streaming. It’s kind of a big deal.</p>
<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/4129007245_5de86641fa_o.jpg" rel="lightbox[21109]" title="Experimental Transmedia Film “The Cosmonaut” Tests New Distribution Methods"><img class="size-medium wp-image-21121 alignleft" alt="4129007245_5de86641fa_o" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/4129007245_5de86641fa_o-300x295.jpg" width="300" height="295" /></a>Directed by <a href="http://riotcinema.com/theteam/" target="_blank">Nicolás Alcalá</a>, “The Cosmonaut” is a sci-fi adventure love story depicting the space race between Russia and the U.S. told from a Russian astronaut’s point view. The film boasts being Spain’s first film made from crowdfunding from 5,000+ people and of one of the world’s most successful film crowdfunding campaigns (at the time) collecting over €300,000. Not too shabby. It only cost 2 Euros <a href="https://vimeo.com/13512440#at=0" target="_blank">to become a producer</a> and was influenced by other epic projects including <a href="http://www.artemiseternal.com/" target="_blank">“Artemis Eternal”</a> and “<a href="http://www.aswarmofangels.com/" target="_blank">A Swarm of Angels</a>.”  <strong></strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong>It doesn’t end there. Their creative marketing and fundraising techniques included posting <a href="http://www.thecosmonaut.org/presskit.zip" target="_blank">detailed business plans</a>, an indie concert held in Madrid called CosmoNauts, a flashmob, <a href="https://vimeo.com/10923036" target="_blank">video diaries</a> of the process and they posted <a href="elcosmonauta.es/guion_el_cosmonauta.pdf" target="_blank">a pdf of the script</a> online for remix. They want it all hacked and mashed up. Their site beckons, “Download our business plan, and find out our strategy to turn the film industry upside down.” Radical transparency is the goal and on <strong>May 14, 2013 </strong>the filmmakers will post the entire feature-length film online in HD (<b>for free</b>), in addition to releasing it on DVD/Blu-ray, on TV, and in theaters simultaneously. Transmedia elements in the works include alternate reality games (ARG), mobile apps, webisodes and whatever else the fans come up with.</p>
<p>There will be a smattering of special screenings worldwide. Fans are encouraged to <a href="http://www.tugg.com/titles/the-cosmonaut" target="_blank">create screening events via Tugg</a> and to add interesting elements — like costume parties or Google Hangouts with the director. <b><a href="http://www.meetup.com/Transmedia-Los-Angeles/" target="_blank">Transmedia Club LA’s</a> director <a href="http://halhefner.com/" target="_blank">Hal Hefner</a> has arranged a <a href="http://www.meetup.com/Transmedia-Los-Angeles/events/118421622/" target="_blank">private screening May 15<sup>th</sup></a> at the Downtown Independent Theatre at 7:30 pm with after party. </b></p>
<p><center><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/12171653" height="281" width="500" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></center><a href="http://riotcinema.com/" target="_blank">Riot Cinema Collective</a>’s mission statement reads “We were born from the idea of bringing cinematic language to all possible fields, as we were convinced that “in cinema to crash a car you don’t need a car, nor a crash, or a million dollars”. We like advertising, fiction, documentary and that they now call “new media” (we are particularly good at creating transmedia content to expand a centerpiece). Above all, we love to tell stories.” Should be pretty awesome!</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/the-cosmonaut-new-distribution-methods/">Experimental Transmedia Film “The Cosmonaut” Tests New Distribution Methods</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>CapLinked Announces New Investors, Signs Up New Clients &amp; Builds New Features</title>
		<link>http://techzulu.com/caplinked-new-investors-new-features/</link>
		<comments>http://techzulu.com/caplinked-new-investors-new-features/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 01:41:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sam Wakoba</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Startups]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AccessDNA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Artesian Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Caplinked]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chris Harris]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conversion Capital]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Draper and Kramer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eric M. Jackson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[funding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Google]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inflection Ventures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lee Essener]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://techzulu.com/?p=21095</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Cloud-based business transactions platform, CapLinked,today announced additional investors and the final results of its Series A financing round totaling  to $2.1 million.
Speaking of the new investment, CapLinked CEO Eric M. Jackson said, “We’re using the proceeds from our financing round to invest in our technology, build new features, and increase sales and support.”</p><p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/caplinked-new-investors-new-features/">CapLinked Announces New Investors, Signs Up New Clients &#038; Builds New Features</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/caplinked-logo.jpg" rel="lightbox[21095]" title="CapLinked Announces New Investors, Signs Up New Clients & Builds New Features"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-21193" alt="caplinked-logo" src="http://techzulu.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/caplinked-logo.jpg" width="300" height="68" /></a>Cloud-based business transactions platform, <a href="https://secure.caplinked.com/" target="_blank">CapLinked</a>,today announced additional investors and the final results of its Series A financing round totaling  to $2.1 million.</p>
<p>Speaking of the new investment, CapLinked CEO Eric M. Jackson said, “We’re using the proceeds from our financing round to invest in our technology, build new features, and increase sales and support.”</p>
<h2>Over $3M Raised</h2>
<p>Jackson added that the firm was proud of its product, and even uses its own software to manage their capital raised from investors.</p>
<p>CapLinked&#8217;s new investors include <a href="https://twitter.com/ConversionCap" target="_blank">Conversion Capital</a>, Inflection Ventures,The Artesian Group, Chris Harris (software engineering manager at Google), and Lee Essener (founder of AccessDNA).</p>
<p>Earlier, the firm said that FF Angel, Siemer Ventures, <a href="http://500.co/" target="_blank">500 Startups</a>, and Peter Thiel (co-founder of PayPal), among others, had invested $1.6 million in the Series A round. The new funding brings the company’s aggregate amount of capital raised to over $3 million.</p>
<h2>Team, Technology &amp; Vision</h2>
<p>Pleased to be an investor in the company, investor Lee Essner  said he was particularly drawn to CapLinked&#8217;s team, technology and vision. Essner added, “They have a beautiful, modern, workflow-friendly transaction management solution for corporate development teams, sell-side advisors, and private equity firms, as well as an extremely driven and impressive team that is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this big opportunity to disrupt the financial technology sector.”</p>
<p>CapLinked didn&#8217;t just raise money but announced it had acquired several new clients, including Edwards Lifesciences, Draper and Kramer, and Proprietary Capital who join a growing and impressive roster of previously disclosed CapLinked clients such as Thomson Reuters, Sun Capital, and NextView Ventures.</p>
<h2>New Clients To Manage Complex Business Transactions</h2>
<p>Based in LA, and launched in 2011 by Eric M. Jackson and Christopher Grey, CapLinked empowers its clients to manage complex business transactions such as mergers &amp; acquisitions, financings, asset sales, and investor reporting. It&#8217;s easy-to-use collaborative workspaces enable users to speed up the complicated and tedious process of managing a large deal.</p>
<p>The firm helps transaction parties to communicate and securely exchange files, while providing customers with deal analytics and a complete audit trail as it is built with workflow optimization in mind.</p>
<h2>Easy To Set Up</h2>
<p>CapLinked&#8217;s alternative to Virtual Data Room (VDR) services for coordinating on complex business deals are time saving as the VDR industry has long been dominated by three large players resulting to lack of competition and lack of innovation. VDR customers also suffer poor workflow, difficult set-up, and exorbitant pricing plus hidden per-page charges but, CapLinked is easy to set up, workflow-friendly, and has transparent pricing.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://techzulu.com/caplinked-new-investors-new-features/">CapLinked Announces New Investors, Signs Up New Clients &#038; Builds New Features</a> appeared first on <a href="http://techzulu.com">TechZulu</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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