Instagram is now worth 49 times what Facebook paid for it

Instagram is now worth 49 times what Facebook paid for it

Many baulked when Facebook head Mark Zuckerberg agreed to drop $1 billion on Instagram in April 2012. "That's $33 per user," said some; "there's no business model!" screamed others. Less than three years later and Citigroup now says Instagram is worth $35 billion. That's almost 49 times higher than the $715 million Facebook ended up paying after its stock price fell, and considerably higher than rivals Twitter and LinkedIn. How did things go so right?

The short answer is "ads," as would be clear to anyone using Instagram. The long answer? First, the valuation hinges on Instagram's user count rising 40 percent over the next year, according to Citi analyst Mark May. That's likely -- it rose by 50 percent between March and December of this year alone -- but it's the second part of May's calculations that's up for debate. The analyst believes Instagram will be able to monetize its users further and rake in much more cash from advertisers. But what does that mean for you?

It's been just over a year since Instagram first introduced advertising into its apps, but May's expectations of higher advertising revenues don't necessarily mean you'll see loads more of them. You're worth more to Instagram than ever before -- more than $80 just for being you, according to May's calculations -- and it's unlikely Facebook will suddenly flood your feed with irrelevant ads. Citi thinks Instagram can get $1.48 from ads per 1000 views by the end of next year. That's less than Twitter makes (another service slowly working out how to make money), and May argues that Instagram has a larger, faster-growing, and more engaged audience. Simply put: Instagram is a better fit for prospective advertisers.

Instead of filling every page with ads, Facebook leverages its vast user data to argue it can target sponsored posts more effectively than others. The company uses your Instagram favorites to work out what kind of ads you'll respond well to, and also takes advantage of the many linked Facebook accounts to target ads based on your profile, likes and interests. It's a tough ask: balancing the demands of advertisers with ahistorically touchy audience. So far, Instagram has done a decent job of it; you're unlikely to see a jetskiing ad if you're a a 65-year-old man, for instance. You're still helping drive the company's profits by seeing ads, of course, but you're unlikely to be as annoyed by them since they're (mostly) aimed at stuff you like.

Instead of filling every page with ads, Facebook leverages its vast user data to argue it can target sponsored posts more effectively than others. The company uses your Instagram favorites to work out what kind of ads you'll respond well to, and also takes advantage of the many linked Facebook accounts to target ads based on your profile, likes and interests. It's a tough ask: balancing the demands of advertisers with ahistorically touchy audience. So far, Instagram has done a decent job of it; you're unlikely to see a jetskiing ad if you're a a 65-year-old man, for instance. You're still helping drive the company's profits by seeing ads, of course, but you're unlikely to be as annoyed by them since they're (mostly) aimed at stuff you like.

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Google needs partners to actually build its self-driving car

Google needs partners to actually build its self-driving car

Apparently Google's sufficiently kickstarted pursuits into autonomous driving, and is ready for some help with its own driverless cars. As the leader of the project told The Wall Street Journal, the folks in Mountain View aren't looking to replicate what Detroit-based and international automakers do best (build vehicles from the ground up). It's looking for an established player to help shoulder the load and bring the Google rides to market in the next five years. Until that happens, Chris Urmson says his team is partnering with automotive suppliers to move three generations beyond the cartoony-looking prototypes (pictured above) it has now. What's more, the search giant plans to on-road test this "beta one" fleet early next year. For California's sake, let's hope they're just as adept at sensing cyclists as their predecessors.
The Wall Street Journal

Timothy J. Seppala
Engadget

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BlackBerry And Boeing Build A Self-Destructing Spy Phone

BlackBerry And Boeing Build A Self-Destructing Spy Phone

Canadian mobile company BlackBerry Ltd. is working with Boeing Co. on a smartphone made for privacy-minded government agents, it announced Friday. The Boeing Black, as its called, is capable of self-destructing if it is tampered with.

“We're pleased to announce that Boeing is collaborating with BlackBerry to provide a secure mobile solution for Android devices utilizing our BES 12 platform," BlackBerry CEO John Chen said on a conference call held to discuss its mixed third quarter results. "That, by the way, is all they allow me to say.”

BlackBerry and Boeing’s smartphone encrypts communications as well as its stored data, such as sensitive photos or emails. The Boeing Black has space for two SIM cards, used to connect to multiple wireless networks, such as one for government calls and another for civilian communications.

Boeing, the the aerospace and defense contractor best known for its airplanes, markets the smartphone to government agencies and others who need to keep snooping to a minimum. BlackBerry’s Boeing Black is assembled in the U.S., from parts manufactured around the world.
The spy-phone boasts a chunky 13.25mm-thick body, almost double the depth found in Apple Inc.’s latest iPhone. The large frame allows it to be custom configured to include biometric sensors -- including fingerprint scanners -- and communication with satellites.

The Boeing Black operates on BlackBerry’s Enterprise Service, or BES 12, which allows companies and government agencies to secure and manage Android, iPhone and BlackBerry devices securely on their internal networks.

It’s not the phone of choice for James Bond, however. Sony Pictures has had a long-standing deal with its parent company to feature the Xperia line of smartphones in Bond films.

Thomas Halleck

International Business Times

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Michael Clifford Reacts to 5 Seconds of Summer's Worst Band of 2014 Nomination

5 Seconds of Summer and One Direction recently got nominated for Worst Band of 2014 by NME, and Michael Clifford had the best reaction. Instead of throwing a fit, he showed off his sense of humor by tweeting out that all their fans should vote for them.

"I'm not even being sarcastic it would be so incredible to win," he wrote.

While we can't believe someone would vote 5SOS and 1D as some of the worst bands of the year, both of them have had amazing successes (and lots of awards) in 2014. They're definitely not taking it too seriously — and Michael's response is proof!

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BlackBerry's surviving, but not as a smartphone company

BlackBerry's surviving, but not as a smartphone company

It's been almost a year since John Chen was appointed to save Blackberry and it's clear that his grand plan has, at least, stopped the company losing money hand over fist. In the Canadian outfit's latest three month report, it reveals that losses have been trimmed from $4.4 billion last year to a much more manageable $148 million. Of course, it's clear that as the business reinvents itself as a software-and-services company, manufacturing smartphones has increasingly become a side project.
At this point last year, the company had shipped 4.3 million smartphones, although the bulk of those were older BlackBerry 7 devices. This time around, less than half that figure -- 1.9 million devices -- found their way into the hands of consumers, with sales dwindling even in former strongholds like the Middle East and Asia Pacific. We're still waiting to see what impact, if any, new and "unconventional" devices like the Passport and Classic will have on fortunes, so there could be good news coming in the future on that front.

The company is still seeing its revenues split roughly down the middle, with 46 percent of cash coming from devices and the rest coming from software and services. It's the latter portion where John Chen sees the most potential, which is probably what prompted the company to buy mobile encryption company Secusmart. The company also saw big gains in its BlackBerry Enterprise Security platform, which grew over 100 percent in the last three months.
So, losses have been trimmed, software sales are growing and there's some cash in the bank. Someone should get a bottle of champagne and stick in the fridge, you know, just in case Chen's "eight quarter" plan pulls out something truly spectacular.
BlackBerry

Daniel Cooper

Engadget 

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Taylor Swift Named One of the Biggest Rule Breakers of 2014:

Taylor Swift Named One of the Biggest Rule Breakers of 2014:

Taylor Swift shows her chaotic side on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Rule Breakers 2014 issue, out on newsstands now and she looks like a Ice Princess in Her Latest Photo Shoot! 

Doesn't Taylor kind of look like Frozen's Queen Elsa while she's having a particularly icy and rebellious moment? All that's missing is the side braid! She's got the flowing blue dress look down perfectly. 

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In the issue, the 25-year-old entertainer opened up on her decision to take her music off popular streaming service Spotify.

“I didn’t think that it would be shocking to anyone. With as many ways as artists are personalizing their musical distribution, it didn’t occur to me that this would be anything that anyone would talk about,” Taylor shared.

She added, “But I could never have expected so many text messages, emails and phone calls from other artists, writers and producers saying thank you.”

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Abigail Breslin Clarifies Her Tweet Says : I Have No Beef with Taylor Swift!

Abigail Breslin  Clarifies Her Tweet Says : I Have No Beef with Taylor Swift!

Abigail Breslin never ever ever dissed Taylor Swift. Like, ever!

The 18-year-old actress received some backlash after tweeting, “Cuz darling I’m a nightmare dressed like an emotionally unstable cat lady,” referring to Taylor‘s hit song “Blank Space,” which she has now clarified.

“What’s so crazy, I think that everybody that follows me on Twitter knows that I just got surprised with a kitten, a baby kitten, like a week ago, by my family,” Abigail told HuffPost Live. “I was walking in my apartment, and I stopped in front of my mirror, and I had my hair in a topknot, and my glasses on, and no makeup on and a bathrobe on, with my cat and like a handful of its food, trying to give it medicine. I was like ‘wow my life, I look like an emotionally unstable cat lady.’”

Abigail added, “That song is amazing. Everybody loves that song. Why would I be insulting it? Like, it was just so bizarre. Taylor, I have no beef with you.”

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Is Justin Bieber Mad That He Wasn't at Taylor Swift's Birthday With Selena Gomez?

Justin Bieber is reportedly upset that he wasn't invited to Taylor Swift's 25th birthday with Selena Gomez! According to rumors, the singer thinks he should have been there — and is annoyed that "The Heart Wants What It Wants" singer's friends aren't his biggest fans.

“He was bummed when he heard who went. He feels like he really should have been there," the source said.

"He doesn’t have a problem with Taylor, but he knows she just doesn’t get him. And for that reason he thinks Taylor doesn’t get Justin and Selena as a couple. It’s frustrating for him and frustrating that Taylor didn’t include him considering how close she is to Selena.”

Since we've heard that the "Blank Space" singer isn't a Jelena fan, we would understand why she wouldn't invite him. He's not her bestie!

Besides, he's been hanging out with Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin lately, so at least he's been getting the support of his own friends.

Plus, it's probably for the best that he wasn't there. Although there was allegedly drama at the event, it seems like the 1989's birthday was a calm affair. Considering how emotional Selena gets over her ex, they may be better off hanging out in private.

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Samsung will shut down its ChatOn messaging service next year

Samsung will shut down its ChatOn messaging service next year

After denying reports that its ChatOn service was close to being disbanded on a region-by-region basis, Samsung has announced in Korea that it's going away. According to Yonhap News, Samsung's statement said it will close up shop on February 1st. It's not immediately clear whether or not that will hold across all regions, but Samsung went on to state that users would be able to back up their data before the shutdown. The company blamed "changing market conditions" for the change, but seems that despite a claimed 100 million strong user base, people weren't really using the software preloaded on so many smartphones.
Yonhap News

Richard Lawler

Engadget 

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Scientists develop lens-free microscope that borrows tech from cellphones

Scientists develop lens-free microscope that borrows tech from cellphones

LOS ANGELES — Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, have created a lens-free microscope that relies on a silicon chip found in smartphones and digital cameras. You can't use it to snap a selfie, but it could help scientists detect cancer.
In a paper published this week in Science Translational Medicine, the research team shows that images taken with the lens-free microscope were just as capable of revealing cellular abnormalities in tissue samples as more traditional, and more expensive light microscopes.
"Our microscope provides the same level of quality as a state-of-the-art optical light microscope, and it has a significantly larger field of view, a simpler design, and it is more cost-effective," said Aydogan Ozcan, a professor of electrical engineering at UCLA and the senior author on the paper, published Wednesday.

Ozcan's lab specializes in creating computer codes that simplify the design of microscopes, nanoscopes and other instruments, and improve their performance.
His team recently created a device that turns a smartphone into a high-powered microscope capable of imaging individual DNA molecules. Another project turned Google Glass into a tool that can perform diagnostic tests on blood and tissue samples.
Like much of Ozcan's work, the design of the lens-free microscope borrows from existing technology.

"The bread and butter of this project is a CCD or CMOS imager, which is the same thin chip you find in every digital camera, whether it's a high-end SLR or a cellphone camera," he said.
The setup also requires a light source and a sample holder that keeps the slide hovering just a little above the chip. When the light shines down on the sample slide, the slide casts a shadow of the sample tissue onto the imaging chip.

You can get an idea of how this works by holding your hand above your desk and under a light source. The closer to the desk you put your hand, the more defined the shadow becomes. The shadow of your hand is solid, but because cells are translucent, their shadows are more detailed.

The shadow image the chip collects is a murky-looking holograph that bears little resemblance to what you would see if you looked at the same slide through a light microscope. After the image is captured, it is reconstructed with software developed by Ozcan's team that converts the messy patterns into an image that is at least as clear as what you would see through a traditional microscope.
"The hardest part was creating the computational transformation that takes those nasty-looking shadowy patterns and give you the truth of what is happening," Ozcan said. "That was the computational puzzle."

Ozcan and his team tested the accuracy of their microscope by showing a board-certified pathologist 150 images of breast cancer tissue — some taken with a light microscope, others taken with the lens-free microscope. The pathologist was asked to analyze the images and note if the samples showed benign cells, atypical cells or invasive carcinoma.

The pathologist had 99 percent accuracy using images acquired by the lens-free microscope, and 100 percent accuracy with images from the light microscope.

Still, the lens-free microscope is not ready for prime time, Ozcan said. Most importantly, the computer software that lets a user look at the digitally constructed image on a computer screen needs to be more user-friendly.
"You can think of our interface as a very early version of the personal computer, where you have to write code to do anything," said Ozcan. "For other people to use it, it needs to be like Windows."
Eventually, however, the team would like to see the microscope used in parts of the world where access to medical infrastructure is limited.

"A small nurse's office that doesn't have a pathologist on staff could transmit digital images created by our microscope to an expert in another city, or another country," he said. "Mobile health and global health is where I would like to channel the things we create."

Deborah Netburn
Los Angeles Times 

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Cadillac's cars are getting smart rearview mirrors next year

Cadillac's cars are getting smart rearview mirrors next year

Hey, Nissan: you won't be the only big automaker with a camera-equipped rearview mirror next year. Cadillac has revealed that its future cars are getting a smart mirror that shows a 1,280 x 240 view of what's behind you without passengers or roof pillars getting in the way. You can flip between the camera's perspective and a conventional mirror at the drop of a hat, and the system is designed to both give you a wide view and hold up in harsh weather. It sounds cool (if familiar), but you'll be patient if you want a Caddy with this extra safety measure in place. The mirror will first be available when the CT6 launches in late 2015, and it could be a while longer before it spreads to other models.
Cadillac

Jon Fingas

Engadget 

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Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith Will Sing at the 2015 Brit Awards!

Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith Will Sing at the 2015 Brit Awards!

The 2015 Brit Awards are going to rock so hard. Why? Because Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith have just been confirmed as performers for the show.

On top of performing, all three of these super stars are probably going to be nominated for award that night. Tay has been wowing people with her latest album, 1989. Ed’s x is super critically acclaimed and Sam has been nominated for a whopping six Grammys. The Brit Awards will take place on February 25.

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