Goxip raises $5M led by Meitu to build an influencer marketing platform for fashion in Asia1/29/2018
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Goxip raises $5M led by Meitu to build an influencer marketing platform for fashion in Asia http://ift.tt/2FpM9MG Goxip, a Hong Kong-based social shopping service, has raised $5 million to branch out into influencer marketing. The investment was led by Meitu, the $6 billion Hong Kong-listed company that develops selfie apps and selfie-optimized phones, with participation from Hong Kong conglomerate Nan Fung Group via its inaugural Mills Fabrica Fund. Others who took part include a trio of young female investors from major monied families. Chryseis Tan, an existing investor who is the daughter of Malaysian billionaire Vincent Tan; Sabrina Ho, the daughter of a Macau-based casino magnate Stanley Ho; and Iman Allana, from Indian multi-billion dollar food giant Allana Group. Goxip’s core app is akin to a ‘shoppable Instagram,’ as we wrote back in 2016. Users can post photos of their outfit, wish list or other items and then make money when a follower clicks the link and buys the outfit in question. The company claims to have 300,000 users in Hong Kong (mainly) and Malaysia and partnerships with Net-a-Porter, Harrods, and ASOS among others. It plans to expand into Thailand, and to explore opportunities with Southeast Asia-based retailers, but the main move is into influencer marketing via its upcoming RewardSnap service. Goxip CEO and co-founder Juliette Gimenez told TechCrunch that she has long admired RewardStyle, a service that connects influencers and bloggers with brands, but there is a gap that is not served in Asia. “RewardStyle has been monopolizing the U.S. and UK, but there’s nothing like this in Asia,” she explained. “This is a black hole nobody is diving into. Brands don’t know how to start the conversation, while influencers in Asia don’t trust existing platforms used like Google Analytics. Then a lot of the hardcore brands aren’t even online in Southeast Asia.” Indeed, TechCrunch wrote in 2016 that RewardStyle, while very much under-the-radar, had grown to generate more than $1 billion in sales for its 4,000 retailers and 575,000 brands worldwide since launching in 2011. Gimenez believes Goxip is positioned to bridge the gap in Asia thanks to relationships with influencers and brands, and its “presence in Hong Kong and know-how in Southeast Asia.” RewardStyle is set to launch in the coming months. The service will be focused on influencers with a large social following — Gimenez suggested 500,000 followers as a potential minimum — and it will allow influencers to post content anywhere on the internet, not just the Goxip app. That’s optional and suggested because the app allows sharing directly to Instagram and Facebook, but RewardStyle influencers don’t need to have a presence Goxip, according to Gimenez. Influencers will be added on an invite-only basis and the company is opening to working with agencies, who tend to look after the marketing activities of influencers in the region. The move is an interesting one that makes a lot of sense. Home court advantage has helped Goxip build an impressive presence in Hong Kong, but essentially the service is taking on Instagram, Facebook and any other social network, a battle that you’d suspect doesn’t scale without some incredible bankrolling. And even then you’re trying break very primal social habits, which is as tough a challenge as there is. RewardStyle will allow Goxip to break out of that and piggyback existing social networks where the influencers and those who are influenced already interact. That said, Gimenez is still very bullish on the Goxip service, which she sees as being a kind of fashion-focused search engine. “A lot of people use Goxip to search,” she said. “They come with the intent to buy so our conversion rate is high.” The deal is also the first major investment from Meitu in a startup focused on Southeast Asia. That’s a region that the company is keen to target — it currently accounts for one-quarter of its claimed 400 million users — and it plans to work with Goxip on potential strategies to leverage each side’s apps and social media presence. Featured Image: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images/Getty Images (IMAGE HAS BEEN MODIFIED)Digital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com January 29, 2018 at 02:35AM
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Airbnb targets curious travelers as ‘experiences’ expands to 200 U.S. cities http://ift.tt/2BzCHUJ Airbnb showed it’s not all about short-term rentals just over a year ago when it launched Trips for travelers interested in seeking out unique experiences and events while on the road. With the initiative apparently working well for the New York-based outfit, Airbnb has announced it’s investing $5 million in expanding the experiences element of Trips to include 200 cities in the U.S. In Airbnb’s own words, the feature enables “small business owners, new entrepreneurs and community non-profits to create immersive experiences for travelers.” These can include anything “from a podcast production lesson in Chicago, to honey making in the Santa Monica Mountains, and a bike tour through LA with a landscape architect … the options are never-ending.” The company said it now offers 4,000 experiences globally, with 1,000 of those taking place in the U.S. The expansion in the coming months means many more are on the way. Growing its services beyond its core business appears to be paying off for Airbnb, which said that since launching experiences in 2016, global weekly guest bookings have risen by more than 2,000 percent year-on-year, while the number of experiences has increased by 500 percent. Airbnb points out that although a lot of its experiences are offered by small business owners and entrepreneurs, others are given by local non-profits who put the proceeds back into their organizations. It offers the example of Vy, one of Airbnb’s “Social Impact experience” hosts located in Harlem, New York City. Keen to share her passion for gospel, jazz, and rhythm, Vy founded the Mama Foundation of the Arts. “Her foundation preserves this art form for current and future generations, [and] provides quality training and employment in the performing arts to both youths and adults,” Airbnb said. Vy’s Airbnb experience involves an informal chat (with wine and other refreshments) about gospel music and why it’s so important to Harlem. This is followed by what Vy promises is “a rare peek” into an award-winning choir’s rehearsal where guests are “encouraged to cheer and sing along before enjoying a jubilant mini-concert.” All the more jubilant for the imbibed wine, no doubt. Airbnb explains that 100 percent of guest payments go back to the Mama Foundation of the Arts, “allowing Vy to grow her foundation while educating travelers about Harlem and the gospel music that has long been integral to the community.” To explore the full range of experiences offered by Airbnb, check out this webpage on its site where you can input particular cities to refine your search.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/2p4eJdC January 29, 2018 at 01:59AM
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Fitness app Strava exposes the location of military bases http://ift.tt/2FrZ6pf Strava, the popular app for tracking running, cycling and swimming, is not the most obvious go-to for exposing national secrets, but a heatmap of activity from users has been found to unearth the locations of U.S. military bases worldwide. The company’s review of 2017 showed all routes taken by its users across the world. It was released back in November 2017, but it came to the fore this weekend when Australian student Nathan Ruser noticed that trails from Strava users in certain countries made it possible to identify military from the U.S. and other nations. While many major cities and regions are brightly colored due to huge amounts of activity, military locations stand out as hubs of activity in quieter areas, such as Syria, Afghanistan or Somalia. That’s exacerbated by the fact that the app is more popular in the West than places like the Middle East or Africa.
Strava allows its users to record their exercise via GPS using a phone or wearable devices like Fitbit, which have been given out to U.S. forces in the past. In most cases, the public data can be useful. It can help find new trails to run, find routes in new places or even identify other runners to exercise with or compete against. With over one billion activities logged in the heat map, it provides an interesting look at how many people in the world exercise. The service does offer a private mode which doesn’t share information outside of the app. The company said its heatmap is based on public data only. It would appear, then, that military personnel are sharing their information publicly, perhaps without knowing it or realizing the implication. The heatmap doesn’t include user information, but, as others on Twitter demonstrated, it is possible to visit the service and look up users based on the routes they have run publicly. That could potentially expose the identification of servicemen and women. “Our global heatmap represents an aggregated and anonymized view of over a billion activities uploaded to our platform. It excludes activities that have been marked as private and user-defined privacy zones. We are committed to helping people better understand our settings to give them control over what they share,” Strava told the Washington Post in a statement. A U.S. military spokesperson told the paper it is looking into the issue. Featured Image: Alexander Koerner/Getty Images/Getty Images (IMAGE HAS BEEN MODIFIED)Digital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com January 29, 2018 at 01:42AM
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Airport codeword aims to stop X-ray machines blowing marriage proposals http://ift.tt/2GqUkK3 X-ray machines and other security procedures at airports are a necessary nuisance for passengers who have to simply accept it as part of the modern-day travel experience. But with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, airport security can present a whole new challenge for loved-up folks intending to pop the question when they reach their vacation spot, as a routine bag search could result in an awkward moment as the ring box is pulled out for all to see. Every year, the machines and their operators blow the cover of at least a few of these people, culminating in a somewhat underwhelming marriage proposal (though definitely memorable!), with the couple surrounded by flustered passengers putting their belts back on instead of the planned idyllic setting of sun, sea, and sand. In a bid to help keep the secret safe of anyone planning to propose to their partner, an airport in the U.K. has come up with an ingenious solution. Here’s what you have to doOfficials at East Midlands Airport, about 100 miles north of London, are telling any would-be proposers to email them ahead of their arrival to let them know they’ll have a ring with them in their carry-on baggage. The airport will then send them a code-phrase that they’ll need to say to security personnel in case they’re singled out for a bag check. Once they hear it, security will take the passenger to a different lane to their partner so they won’t see the ring if it’s pulled out of the bag. Matthew Quinney, East Midlands Airport’s head of security, said it would be “a big damper on someone’s meticulously planned romantic trip if their big surprise was revealed even before they’ve boarded the plane.” And so, with an uptick in proposals expected ahead of February 14, they decided to implement a system to prevent any awkward situations for occurring. It’s certainly very thoughtful of the airport to consider such matters, and could save some red faces by the X-ray machine. “With Valentine’s Day coming up, we wanted to reduce the chances of the marriage proposal being ruined at the airport because, frankly, as much as we like the airport, we don’t think it’s the most romantic place to get engaged,” Ioan Reed-Aspley, a spokesman for East Midlands Airport, told BBC Radio.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/2p4eJdC January 29, 2018 at 01:23AM
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Google confirms investment in Indonesia’s ride-hailing leader Go-Jek http://ift.tt/2BA6aO3 Google has confirmed its investment in Go-Jek, the hail-railing service that rivals Uber and Grab in Indonesia. TechCrunch reported the investment last week, which was made alongside China’s Meituan-Dianping and Singaporean sovereign fund Temasek. The trio were part of a final tranche of a $1.2 billion round that Go-Jek began negotiating on last April, with commitments from the likes of Tencent and JD.com in China. The terms value Go-Jek at around $4 billion. This deal marks the first direct investment from the U.S. tech giant in Indonesia, coming right after its first such deal in India in December 2017. Go-Jek offers motorbikes and taxis on demand, as well as local services like grocery delivery and mobile payments. It is widely thought to be ahead of Grab and Uber in Indonesia, which is the largest economy in Southeast Asia, a region with more than 600 million consumers and rising internet adoption. More widely, Grab appears to have taken the lead across Southeast Asia as a whole. “Go-Jek is led by a strong Indonesian management team and has a proven track record of using technology to make life more convenient for Indonesians across the country. This investment lets us partner with a great local champion in Indonesia’s flourishing startup ecosystem, while also deepening our commitment to Indonesia’s internet economy,” wrote Caesar Sengupta, VP of Google’s Next Billion team which focuses in emerging markets. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has said Southeast Asia is unprofitable, but the region is tipped to see huge growth. Ride-hailing in the region is predicted to become a $20.1 billion per year industry by 2025 up from $5.1 billion in 2017, according to a report co-authored by Google. Indonesia is likely to account for the majority of that — a prior 2015 Google-affiliated report pegging its share of revenue at more than 40 percent. Go-Jek remains active in Indonesia only, but it has previously been public on plans to expand to other markets using its Go-Pay mobile payment service. Featured Image: Dimas Ardian/Getty Images Digital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com January 28, 2018 at 11:40PM
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MIT's New ColorFab Process Recolors 3-D Printed Objects http://ift.tt/2FpKs1K If you want to see the future of 3-D printing, ask Stefanie Mueller for a demo. A computer scientist at MIT, Mueller's work has involved projects like developing a laser-cutting system to make delicate, 3-D printed origami. Now, Mueller and a team at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab are introducing a new kind of 3-D printable ink that makes it possible to recolor 3-D objects after they’ve been printed. The method, called ColorFab, combines a 3-D printing interface and a special type of 3-D printable ink that changes colors when activated by light. Together, the system makes it possible to dynamically change and customize an object's appearance many times. "This basically works in the same way as an E Ink display," says Mueller. In the ColorFab interface, users can create a 3-D model of the object they want to print along with a layer of Mueller's color-changing ink on top. Once the object is printed, users can change its color—or even recolor certain parts or patterns on the object—by returning to the ColorFab interface, selecting the areas to recolor, and then activating those areas with UV light. The special sauce is the ink. Mueller's formula combines a base dye, a photo initiator, and dose of photochromic ink, or ink that can change colors when activated by light at a certain wavelength. Photochromic inks aren't new, but previous formulas could only activate one color and that color change only lasted as long as the object was exposed to UV light—so, an object might turn from clear to blue in sunlight and then return to clear when indoors. The ColorFab method involves painting a dense multi-color pattern onto objects and then selectively activating or deactivating certain colors with light—only activating blue, for example, while deactivating all other colors—which makes it possible to change a single object to many different colors. Mueller's ink can also hold its color after the light source is switched off. Since painting the highly specific multi-color pattern by hand would be impossible, the ColorFab system is designed specifically to work with the precision of 3-D printers, where photochromic inks haven't previously been used. Right now, the recoloring process takes about 20 minutes, but Mueller says it could potentially get faster with a more powerful light source or a slightly different ink formula that includes more of the photochromic ink. As the recoloring process speeds up, Mueller hopes to see more objects manufactured using methods like this one, which allow consumers to customize the things they already own. "Imagine you want to match your iPhone case to the clothing you’re wearing today," says Mueller. With ColorFab, she says, "you don't have to consume new materials. You can repurpose the stuff you already have." Digital Trends via Feed: All Latest http://ift.tt/2uc60ci January 28, 2018 at 11:06PM
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Intel warned Chinese tech firms of Spectre and Meltdown ahead of U.S. government http://ift.tt/2DQV5h1 Intel warned certain customers, including Chinese tech firms, of the Spectre and Meltdown security flaws before notifying the U.S. government, The Wall Street Journal reported. The flaws were first discovered by Google’s Project Zero team in June of last year. Intel held off on disclosing the issue while it worked on possible fixes. The company planned to make the announcement on January 9, but The Register broke the story on January 2. Intel then confirmed the news the next day. Intel did notify several major tech firms in an effort to limit the potential damage and help work on fixes. However, a representative from the Department of Homeland Security said that the department did not learn of the flaws until the news was broken. Homeland Security is often notified of such issues before the public, and often acts as a source of guidance for how to address them. The NSA was also uninformed of the problem. Rob Joyce, the White House’s top official on matters of cybersecurity, sent out a tweet saying that the NSA was unaware of the vulnerabilities.
Intel refused to name any of the companies it warned prior to the scheduled January 9 announcement. That being said, several of the companies had been identified, including Microsoft, Amazon, Chinese computer manufacturer Lenovo, and Chinese cloud-computing firm Alibaba Group Holding. A representative from Intel said that it had planned to brief others, including the U.S. government, prior to the January 9th announcement. However, the company said that it was unable to do so due to the fact that the story was reported sooner than expected. Jake Williams, a former employee of the National Security Agency and current president of Rendition Infosec LLC, told the Wall Street Journal that the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities would have been of great interest to any intelligence organization. Williams also warned that it is a “near certainty” that the Chinese government was aware of Spectre and Meltdown before the U.S., given that the Communist Party closely monitors such communications. Representatives from the Chinese government did not comment on this story. However, in the past, the country’s foreign ministry has said that it is “resolutely opposed” to all forms of hacking.
Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/2p4eJdC January 28, 2018 at 10:40PM
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Bank-based blockchain projects are going to transform the financial services industry http://ift.tt/2ni7alM Hugh Harsono is a former financial analyst currently serving as a U.S. Army Officer. More posts by this contributor: Cryptocurrencies are constantly evolving, with popular currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum maintaining their popularity despite recent market corrections. At the core of both technologies is the cryptographically secure digital ledger known as the blockchain. It’s a digital ledger where cryptocurrency transactions are recorded chronologically and publicly. Indeed, as the popularity of cryptocurrencies has grown, so has the banking industry’s interest in blockchain for fintech, with an increased and focused push on bank-backed blockchain projects. Some of the largest projects underway include the IBM-backed Hyperledger Fabric project, the Utility Settlement Coin, and R3’s blockchain consortium, signifying a growing acceptance in institutional policy to support blockchain growth How does it work? Currently, banks transact with each other by creating agreements, as one would when purchasing an item from a store. A common example would be a bank agreeing to purchase a specific amount of stock for a specific cash price from another. This process, often cumbersome and slow, takes up to several days and incurs the risk that one party may default or renege on the agreement. This period of time, known as settlement, is such an issue that an Oliver Wyman report identified it as costing the financial industry anywhere from $65-$80 billion a year. Blockchain projects have the potential to reduce, and possibly eliminate, settlement times due to their digital nature, ensuring the timely and secure processing of these operations. Other uses for bank-backed blockchain projects would include secured global currency exchange rate speeds and increased transaction security, among other benefits, eventually allowing for an overhaul of the banking industry, replacing traditional back-office clearinghouses and other outdated mediums that exist between asset sellers and buyers. IBM’s Hyperledger Fabric The IBM-backed Hyperledger Fabric project is a trade finance platform aimed at international payments utilizing blockchain, with seven of its largest supporters including Deutsche Bank, HSBC, KBC, Natixis, Rabobank, Societe Generale and Unicredit. IBM’s blockchain platform will run through the IBM Cloud, allowing for interconnectivity between all parties in a particular secure transaction. This project is designed to be highly scalable, allowing for multiple entrants to easily integrate into the entire financial supply chain process through the secure blockchain, allowing for an unprecedented amount of transaction transparency. In mid-October, IBM revealed a partnership with blockchain startup Stellar, spreading the influence of the Hyperledger Fabric project to global levels unseen before. The Utility Settlement Coin Six of the world’s largest banks, Barclays, CIBC, Credit Suisse, HSBC, MUFG, and State Street, have announced backing of the UBS and Clearmatics-spearheaded Utility Settlement Coin, joining other industry heavyweights who have already pledged their support for the project, including BNY Mellon, Deutsche Bank, and Santander. The UTC specifically tackles the use of blockchain technologies by traditional banks, utilizing it as a tool for more efficient transactions. Additionally, the UTC addresses the issue of currency backing, with the UTC being backed by cash at a central bank, preventing default and credit risk. These safeguards play a huge role in why the UTC has so much pledged interest, allowing banks to take part in the relatively young digital currency ecosystem. The UTC is definitely a sign of fintech adoption in the banking industry, ensuring the eventual wide-scale use of blockchain technologies on a standardized level across the globe. R3 Blockchain consortium R3 is another player in the bank-based blockchain space, raising $107 million in May, with four of its backers being Temasek, SBI Group, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Intel, with further support pledged from industry heavyweights such as Wells Fargo and ING. One of R3’s primary projects has been the development of their Corda platform, with future plans for an infrastructure network specifically geared toward financial institutions to build their own ledger-based applications and services, implying that these banks currently have and will grow their own teams of blockchain developers. R3 is also focused on governmental acceptance of blockchain, with buy-in from these institutions signifying a drastic shift in terms of governmental compliance and usage of such fintech. By presenting credible potential resolutions of current-day issues, these projects represent large-scale efforts by the banking industry to fully embrace and integrate blockchain into their current infrastructures. Industry consumers and participants alike should be excited to see how the industry develops in the next coming months. Featured Image: allanswart/Getty ImagesDigital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com January 28, 2018 at 10:30PM
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Tivoli Audio ART Model One Digital review http://ift.tt/2Fn11uY Tivoli Audio is one of a handful of companies in the audio world that enjoys a reputation for offering great sound quality, simplicity of design & experience, and excellent value. That reputation was built on the performance of its first product: The Model One tabletop radio, a compact, no-nonsense, mono FM/AM radio, that sounds far better than its tiny footprint suggests, and which the company still sells today. But times have changed since the Model One debuted 17 years ago, and Tivoli finds itself with an opportunity to build on its legacy with a new system designed for today’s biggest consumer demands: Access to streaming subscription services like Spotify, Bluetooth connections, and whole-home wireless audio, a market created — and still dominated by — Sonos. The $300 Model One Digital, retains the classic looks of the Model One, but inside, it’s a whole new system. With support for Spotify, Tidal, and TuneIn, and the ability to connect to Tivoli’s line-up of ART wireless speakers, including the just-released Model Sub subwoofer, it’s a Model One for the modern age. But can the company preserve its focus on a simple, straightforward user experience as it blends rock-solid audio with the latest high-tech features? Find out in our Tivoli Model One Digital review as we put the whole system through its paces. Supreme styleIf you dig the retro styling of the original Model One, you’ll love the Model One Digital. Tivoli has preserved the furniture-grade wood cabinet from the Model One (available in walnut, black, and white), and its dimensions are only a hair larger than its predecessor. The rigid circular speaker grill has been replaced by a square-shaped fabric covering, which enhances its mid-century modern vibe while evoking memories of console hi-fi systems from the ‘60s and ‘70s. The large, circular AM/FM tuning dial has been replaced with a large, aluminum ring known as the mod bezel, which performs different functions depending on the operating mode. Inside the mod bezel sits the only “digital” element of an otherwise highly analog design — a color display that shows the time, the current audio source (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Aux in, or FM radio), and track info, if available. The only other control is a small sliver combo power-mode-volume button/knob. We have some minor gripes about the design, but in fairness, these are nitpicks: The volume knob doesn’t stick out very far. Folks with big digits may have trouble gripping its perfectly smooth surface. The aluminum mod bezel rotates, and can also be pressed to access various functions, but there’s no way to know when you should press or rotate it — reading the manual is essential to understand how it works for things like FM presets or Bluetooth pairing. Our review unit’s bezel was slightly out of true, so it would occasionally rub against the interior glass of the display. Then there’s the display itself: If companies like Nest, Samsung, and LG can create circular LCD panels for their products, we see no reason why Tivoli should make do with a square display. The company’s marketing material makes it seem as though the display occupies the whole of the ring’s interior, but it’s actually a much smaller chunk, with a lot of that space wasted.
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Simon Cohen/Digital Trends
Simon Cohen/Digital Trends
Simon Cohen/Digital Trends
Simon Cohen/Digital Trends
Our other ART review accessories, a Cube ($200), a Sphera ($250, and formerly called the “Orb”), and a Model Sub ($400), all exhibited the same retro elegance of the Model One Digital, clad in walnut veneers and matching fabric. Fit and finish is top-notch across the line — these devices look and feel premium in every way. Both the Sphera and the Model Sub have keyholes on their rear plates, making wall-mounting possible, but buyers may be hard pressed to find a way to hide the bright white power cords when doing so. Stubborn simplicityThe Model One Digital and the ART line of components are all built to run independently (they all have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and aux-in capabilities), and the Cube and Sphera even have optional battery packs for truly wireless on-the-go power. Or, they can all be modular components of a whole-home Wi-Fi system. Using them as simple Bluetooth speakers is a cinch, and pairing be accomplished using the physical buttons on each device. Managing them as a set of networked hi-fi products on the other hand, requires the use of a free app (iOS/Android), and a good deal of patience. These days, setting up Wi-Fi products should be a piece of cake. Companies like Google and Sonos have it down to a fine art, sometimes using a simple button press on a device to initiate the connection, or through a QR code that gets scanned by the app. Tivoli takes a decidedly old-school approach, involving a Wi-Fi setup mode on the speaker, and then switching back and forth between the app and your smartphone’s Wi-Fi settings, until the speaker is finally recognized by the app. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s a lot clunkier than it needs to be, and you need to repeat the process with every component. Once you’ve finished, the app invites you to create a “Soundgroup” using just one, or as many of these components as you like. Whether it’s the Model One Digital, or any of the ART speakers, you can’t control them using the app until they belong to a soundgroup. Grouping devices is fairly straightforward: Just pick the ones you want from a list and give the group a name. You will, however, need to decide the stereo relationship, if any, between speakers. Every new speaker added is automatically set to receive a stereo signal, but if you want two of them as stereo pair — say a Model One Digital as the left channel, and a Cube as the right channel, you need to assign these channels in the speaker’s properties. While this arrangement offers flexibility, it lacks intelligence. When configured as a left-right stereo pair, there’s no balance setting for the two speakers. Instead, you adjust each device’s native volume level within its respective properties screen, and then control the master volume from the soundgroup’s main playback screen. Annoyingly, there’s no number-based index system to help you know exactly what volume level is selected for each device. All you have is a slider control, so you must eyeball it in the hopes that all of the devices in your group are set to the same level. Though this arrangement provides an abundance of choice, it’s not intuitive and thus not very user-friendly. Join the partyOn the back of the Model One Digital and its ART companion devices you’ll find two buttons labeled “Add/Drop,” and “Party Mode.” With Add/Drop, you can add the device to an available soundgroup. If you have more than one soundgroup, you press the button repeatedly to cycle through each one. Long-pressing the button removes the speaker from all soundgroups. Tivoli Audio Model One Digital and ART Speakers Compared ToWe can’t imagine how this is easier than simply managing the speaker via the app, but again, perhaps more choice is better. The Party Mode button is kind of like an override switch: It forces all speakers that aren’t currently in the same soundgroup as the speaker you’re using to join its soundgroup. You can also turn Party Mode on and off from within the app. Wi-Fi woesSpeaking of adding and dropping, we experienced quite a bit of both with our review models. Even after several lengthy calls with Tivoli tech support, and product folks, and switching out our devices with an entirely new set, getting all of the components to remain stable on our Wi-Fi network proved a challenge. The Cube would intermittently disappear and reappear in the app. Sometimes a soundgroup we had created would simply vanish from the app, despite all the group’s devices being visible in the device list. We addressed these concerns with Tivoli and were assured that a fix in the form of a firmware update would be forthcoming. Scant selectionsThe biggest benefit of buying a digital, streaming-enabled version of the Model One should be greater choice when it comes to music sources. While this is mostly true — you can stream music from your phone or tablet, a network-attached hard drive, access terrestrial FM radio stations, or pick from the huge variety of internet radio stations via TuneIn — actual music subscription service access is severely limited. You can sign in to Tidal and Deezer and access these services from within the Tivoli ART app, but Spotify Premium is only available via the Spotify app. Same thing for QQ Music. Sonos, by comparison, is natively compatible with over 60 services, including Apple Music, Google Play Music, and Amazon Music.
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Simon Cohen/Digital Trends
Simon Cohen/Digital Trends
Simon Cohen/Digital Trends
Jimmy Coberly, a Tivoli sales manager, tells Digital Trends that the company plans to expand these choices, but wasn’t able to offer a timeframe for doing so. Coberly did point out that it’s always possible to use a native app for the service of your choice, then stream it via Bluetooth-over-Wi-Fi to your Model One Digital/ART system, however as we note in the sound quality section below, this is a workaround, not a solution. We’re also a little surprised at the lack of a USB port for playing music from an external drive or memory stick. Despite Sonos’s ongoing refusal to add one to its line-up, it’s quickly becoming a standard feature on every other product in this category. All for one, none for allAll of the components are equipped with an AUX-in jack, but the system can’t redistribute this source wirelessly to the other speakers. You’re locked into listening on just that one speaker — that is, unless you shell out an extra $60 for the tiny, black Tivoli ConX component. The ConX is designed specifically to pipe non-Wi-Fi analog and digital sources like turntables, CD players, or TVs into the ART system, while also acting as Wi-Fi receiver through its line-out port. Why the ConX can do this but the other components can’t is a bit of a mystery, but perhaps the bigger surprise is that it essentially duplicates the features of a $350 Sonos Connect at a fraction of the price. In search of… searchIf you’ve read some of our other whole-home audio reviews, you know that a big factor in how usable a system is based heavily on how easily the app lets you get to the music you want to play. Sonos has proven that a universal search — one which pulls results from every music source you have access to — is not only doable, but also incredibly helpful. Every system we’ve tested incorporates some degree of search, and the Tivoli ART app is no exception, but it is exceptionally limited. The only real search tool is strictly for local music. There’s no way to filter by song, artist, album, genre, or anything else. So, if you happen to have every album by The Offspring on your phone, you had better know which track you want, because simply searching for “Offspring” will return all of them, alphabetically sorted first by album name, then by track name. For streaming services like Deezer, or TuneIn, you can forget about search all together. Pulling these up as sources reveals a folder tantalizingly labeled, “search,” but there is no search function here. The same is true for networked music libraries. Speaking of libraries, unless your iTunes collection is housed on a DLNA-compatible computer or NAS, you won’t be able to access it via the Tivoli app. For Windows users, this is easily fixed (it has a built-in DLNA server you can enable), but Mac users will have to find a third-party software package to enable this. What’s the frequency Kenneth?In keeping with its heritage as a tabletop radio, the Model One Digital’s FM tuner can be used as a Wi-Fi music source. But there are some frustrating limitations to this feature. First, the FM signal can only be distributed within the soundgroup that the Model One Digital belongs to. All other soundgroups will need to use the TuneIn source for radio content. Second, there’s no way to change FM presets using the app — you’re stuck listening to the last station you physically set the Model One to. Changing stations or presets can only be done using the mod bezel. The app won’t even tell you which frequency/station you’re currently listening to or display the FM RDS info. I’ve got the power?When placing ART components around your house, you’ll need to be able to reach the buttons on the back. In the event of a power failure, the speakers power back on in standby mode. Pressing the physical power button is the only way to get them to reconnect to your network. None of the other whole-home audio products we’ve tested need a physical intervention after a power loss. On a related note, you’ll also need to disable each speaker’s default standby timer, otherwise you’ll have to walk around powering them up, every time you want to listen to music. Having a standby mode makes sense when using a battery, but we think it should be turned off by default when connected to an AC adapter. Blue notesSo how does the new Model One Digital sound? Fans of the original will be happy to know that the digital version is just as capable of pumping out full, superbly balanced sound from its small speaker enclosure. Same goes for the ART Cube, the ART Sphera, and the Model Sub. Pairing a Cube with a Model One Digital provides delightfully clear stereo sound. There’s enough low frequency available with this setup that casual listeners, or those in a small space like an office or a dorm room likely won’t need any more. But if bass is what you crave, adding a Model Sub to the mix scratches that itch admirably. We stuck our Model Sub review unit under a couch (can you do that with your subwoofer?) and depending on the volume level, it delivered everything from barely-there bass all the way up to bum-rattling boom. Despite our misgivings about the volume level adjustments, once dialed-in, the system delivered truly superb sound. There is, unfortunately, a caveat here. When playing local music from our iPhone, over Wi-Fi, things sounded great. Switching to Bluetooth over Wi-Fi was a different story entirely. Clarity, range, depth, and tone all suffered significantly, no matter how we adjusted the volume levels on both the iPhone as well as the speakers using the Tivoli app. We ran music streaming from the Google Play app, and then, just to make sure the problem wasn’t with Google, we played the same track locally using the Apple Music app. In both instances, sound quality was significantly diminished from what the system was able to produce over a standard Wi-Fi connection. Given that the app supports so few streaming services natively, a lot of customers will end up using this poor-quality connection for the majority of their listening, and that’s just not OK. Warranty informationThe Tivoli Model One Digital and the ART components are warranted for one year against manufacturing defects. Our TakeWe really wanted to love the Tivoli Audio Model One Digital. Its predecessor remains proof that good things come in small packages. But the integration of technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and streaming audio has clearly proven a challenge for Tivoli, and has replaced easy simplicity with confounding complexity. Though it still produces great sound, we don’t think that’s enough to recommend this new take on an old favorite. Is there a better alternative? Attempts to compare the original Model One to a system like Sonos wouldn’t have been appropriate, as they are clearly very different products. But now, with the introduction the $300 Model One Digital, with its streaming music, digital audio, whole-home Wi-Fi listening, and app-based control, Tivoli has planted its flag firmly in Sonos territory. Unfortunately, with the possible exception of sound quality and style points, Sonos’s $200 Play:1 is a much better choice for people who want all of the benefits of wireless audio and streaming music — for now. If Tivoli adds support for Apple Music, Google Play Music, Amazon Music, includes a truly useful search, adds features like favorites and playlists, and stabilizes its Wi-Fi performance, we might change our tune. How long will it last? Tivoli Audio’s products are well known for their build quality in addition to their top-flight sound. We expect the Model One Digital and the ART speakers will last as long, and probably longer than any other product in this category. The real test will be whether or not the company continues to release firmware and app updates to keep the system competitive with the other, much bigger players like Denon, Sonos, and Yamaha. This is the company’s first attempt at a whole-home system, and there’s a risk that if it doesn’t meet expectations, Tivoli will discontinue development. Should you buy it? As individual components, the Tivoli ART speakers are a good buy for the money, and the Model One Digital is a satisfying update of the original Model One. They sound good, they look good, and they offer a decent, if not extraordinary, set of music-listening options. So, if you’re thinking of buying one instead of a stand-alone Bluetooth speaker, we think you’ll enjoy them. But as a whole-home Wi-Fi audio system controlled by an app, they just can’t compete with products like Sonos, Denon HEOS, or Bose. For multi-room — or even just multi-speaker — audio, you should look elsewhere. Digital Trends via Digital Trends http://ift.tt/2p4eJdC January 28, 2018 at 08:47PM
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Five myths of seed investing http://ift.tt/2nkHsMt Anamitra Banerji Contributor Anamitra Banerji is a co-founder of Afore Capital. More posts by this contributor: Pre-seed has risen in prominence in recent months due to the growing gap between what founders are seeking at the seed stage and what the market is offering, yet conversations around pre-seed come with preconceived notions and false assumptions about the companies and investors who care about early stage funding. To break down these misconceptions, we’ve assembled a list of 5 common myths about pre-seed and share what’s behind our passion for feeding the ideas of tomorrow’s next great companies. Myth 1. Pre-Seed Investors Invest in Ideas (and Little Else) The term pre-seed investing brings to mind a simple transaction: the founder with a great resume has an idea, the investor writes a check, and it’s no big deal if things don’t work out because it’s just an experiment. The misconception is that because companies don’t have traction data, pre-seed investors don’t have much to investigate and thus can’t evaluate deeply. This kind of zombie-like trade is far from reality. Institutional pre-seed funds such as Afore believe that pre-seed is just like any other kind of investing, with risks inherent to its stage that can be successfully mitigated. Beyond assessing founder authenticity and market opportunity, we focus on two specific areas: product and distribution. We care about unique product insights and novel distribution approaches and want to know how both will work in the short-term. We’ll learn about what experiments the founders have run to-date to validate their hypotheses, and we keep probing until we hear “I don’t know.” While pre-seeds may not have traction in data, there’s plenty of traction in thought. Myth 2. Pre-Seed Companies Couldn’t Raise a Real Seed Round. It’s assumed that companies seeking pre-seed investment simply aren’t good enough to raise a seed round, and must pare down their pitches and expectations in order to raise a smaller round. This misconception discourages investors from pre-seed opportunities, delivering the wrong message that there’s adverse selection at play because the company knows it’s not good enough to seek a bigger round. Raising pre-seed funding helps build and distribute the product, providing early traction with the least amount of capital. Founders are increasingly realizing that seed investors do not write the first check––with most seed capital coming 2.4 years after a company’s founding. Afore is part of a new class of pre-seed investors funding pre-product/market fit companies. Startups that lack product/market fit and the ability to scale aren’t ready for seed capital. These investors supplement the friends and family round, providing institutional capital previously available much later. Pre-seed founders should raise $500K because it’s better than bootstrapping, and eliminates the potential for the high valuations and dilution inherent with raising large seed rounds. Myth 3. Pre-Seed Investing is All About Creating Optionality. Another myth is that backers in these earliest-stage companies are casual investors who don’t actually know what they’re doing or care about their investments. Similar to an option bet, the idea is that investors have little to lose by placing money across a multitude of opportunities. No founder likes to be an option bet or should choose an investor who doesn’t make them a priority. Funds like Afore are active investors exclusively focused on pre-seed who live and die by the success of their portfolios. Pre-seed investment isn’t an option bet to preempt the seed or Series A; it’s their bread and butter. Pre-seed is a burgeoning segment comprised of deeply thoughtful, committed institutional investors that includes pre-seed capital firms like Bee Partners, K9, Pear, Precursor, Notation, Wonder, and many others. Further highlighting marketplace need, PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association revealed that funding for companies of $1M or less is at its lowest point since 2011. Myth 4. The Pre-Seed Category is a Fad. Rumblings persist that pre-seed investing is a flash in the pan that will collapse into standard seed investing soon enough. This is an idea based on the inaccurate belief that pre-seed only cropped up due to a bullish investing market. Pre-seed stage companies look very different from seed stage companies in that they don’t have much traction, revenue, or product/market fit. And seed investors are uncomfortable with that level of risk. It’s hard to invest in companies without traction or revenue when compared with companies that possess cohort analysis, accurate LTV/CAC ratios and a strong grasp of their sales funnel. In this apples-to-oranges comparison, seed investors cannot also invest in pre-seed. Another factor is the increasing size of seed funds. As fund sizes scaled, seed investors were forced to write bigger checks, pushing seed rounds closer to $5M. Given that the Partner time does not scale with fund size (that is until Elon Musk invents the 30-hour day!), there is no easy way for seed funds to write pre-seed sized checks for $500K then dedicate the time and attention they deserve. As long as institutional investors have the appetite, experience and ability to take the “first check risk” well ahead of product/market fit, there will always be a need for the pre-seed round. Myth 5. Pre-Seed Funds Couldn’t Raise a Real Fund. Misconceptions about VC funds that focus on the pre-seed stage are also numerous. You may hear: pre-seed firms brand themselves that way because they can’t raise larger funds; they’d actually like to raise seed and series A funding but haven’t been successful; or it was never their true intention to invest in such early stage companies. Experience tells us otherwise. Our peer GPs all saw the venture trends early as well as the emerging gap in early stage funding and, being entrepreneurs, they took advantage. Featured Image: ShutterstockDigital Trends via TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com January 28, 2018 at 08:31PM |
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