Google's answer to printing from smartphones and Chrome OS: Cloud Print

Google today answered a longstanding question today about its web-centric netbook operating system, Chrome OS: How do you print? Its solution is Google Cloud Print, a web-based method for handling print jobs in web applications, and web-enabled platforms like Chrome OS, Android, and even the iPhone.

Instead of using local printer drivers and software to manage print jobs, Cloud Print will enable any application that can get online to print to any printer. In effect, … Continue Reading

Yo, taxi! CabSense finds rides — and a way to crunch big data

Why can’t you ever find a cab when you really need one? This is even true in New York City, famous for its seemingly endless streams of yellow cabs gushing up and down the avenues. If only there were a way of knowing the best corner for getting a taxi ride. If you ask Sense Networks, there is: a new iPhone app called CabSense.

Sense Networks is best known in the Bay Area for CitySense, … Continue Reading

The biggest mistake startups make

Your startup might have the best product or service to come dancing down the pike in years, but that hardly guarantees success, according to Liz Tinkham, a global manager at Accenture. In this Entrepreneur Thought Leader Lecture given last month at Stanford University, she argued, as odd as it sounds, the trick to success (at least, as you try to sell to big companies) is to ensure that your product is something mundane enough to … Continue Reading

Twitter developers: Don't be scared, be smart

I just returned home from Chirp, Twitter’s developer conference in San Francisco, where I had the chance to participate on a panel about investing in the Twitter ecosystem. Between the panel, the rest of the conference, and some 1:1 conversations with Twitter execs, I have a handful of takeaways for Twitter ecosystem developers:

First, get over the fact that Twitter aims to be a profitable business and will build or buy features necessary to make … Continue Reading

Venture investing off to a slow start for 2010 (MoneyTree report)

Entrepreneurs hoping for a return to the generous venture environment of a few years ago may have a while to wait, according to the latest MoneyTree report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association.

During the first three months of this year, venture capital investments fell 9 percent compared to the last quarter of 2009, from $5.2 billion to $4.7 billion. And the numbers of deals declined even more substantially, an 18 percent drop … Continue Reading

Roundup: Demand Media preps for IPO, Gmail drags-and-drops

Here’s the latest action:

Reviled and closely-watched Demand Media enlists Goldman for an IPO: The Financial Times reported that the media company, which uses algorithms to study search patterns and automatically assign stories and which many journalists are freaked out by, may file for an initial public offering as early as August. The offering might value the company at about $1.5 billion.

AMD’s earnings trail Intel’s: Advanced Micro Devices Inc., the world’s second-largest microprocessor manufacturer, … Continue Reading

TV 2.0: Hulu's flatlining, and the networks are ready to innovate

Editor’s note: This story is part of our Microsoft-sponsored series on cutting-edge innovation. Peter Yared is founder and CEO of social app development company Transpond.

[Disclosure: my company, Transpond, provides social engagement apps for numerous media companies including CBS and NBC.]

Hulu — a joint venture of NBC Universal, News Corp., and Disney — has had a good thing going. The ad-sponsored video site carries numerous TV shows through agreements with the broadcast networks. And … Continue Reading

Viacom: Google hated YouTube's pirated content too

Viacom has released a new set of documents that the media conglomerate says bolsters its copyright lawsuit against Google. In Viacom’s words, it’s hoping to show that when the search giant acquired YouTube in 2006, it made “a deliberate, calculated business decision” to profit from copyright infringement and “to use the threat of copyright infringement to try to coerce rights owners like Viacom into licensing their content on Google’s terms.”

Google responded to VentureBeat’s request … Continue Reading

Ford unveils new tools to "green" the way you drive (video)

Ford, which has been relatively hush-hush about its green car projects compared to General Motors and Nissan, is integrating eco-conscious features into its yet-unlaunched MyFord Touch in-vehicle software system. The new Eco-Route tool, in particular, is designed to teach drivers how to be more fuel efficient, the company says.

Now when Ford drivers fire up their navigation systems, they will have the ability to choose a route that prioritizes fuel economy over speed or distance. … Continue Reading

U.S. Climate Bill set to resurface on April 26

The long-lost Climate Bill has made a reappearance following the shakeout of President Barack Obama’s health-care reform legislation — just as predicted. Now the Senate is saying the bill — which would set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and renewable energy quotas — will get a new lease on life on April 26, when its sponsors roll out the newest draft.

Proposed by Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), this … Continue Reading

Did Opera put the squeeze on Apple to get its browser on the iPhone?

Opera Software’s publicity stunts have paid off in many ways. The browser maker used a series of stunts to pressure Apple into accepting its Opera Mini iPhone app, and now Opera’s underdog struggle has led to massive support for the app as well. It announced today that Opera Mini for iPhone has been downloaded over 1 million times since its release on April 12. In addition, the app is also at the top of all … Continue Reading

Google tries to sound positive on AdMob and China

The mobile industry was a big theme during Google’s quarterly earnings conference call with analysts Thursday. As Google disclosed in its first-quarter earnings report this afternoon, one of the big questions hanging over its mobile strategy is whether its acquisition of mobile advertising startup AdMob will be blocked by the government due to antitrust concerns.

One of the analysts on the call asked if Google has a Plan B for getting into mobile ads if … Continue Reading

MobileBeat 2010 conference: Who will profit from the superphone revolution?

We’re delighted to announce our third annual mobile conference, MobileBeat 2010, on July 12-13, 2010 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

The event is about the superphone revolution, who will profit from it, and how.

Last year, we talked about the first stage of the mobile revolution. That’s when hot new mobile apps began having profound influence on our lives. It was just the beginning. This year, we’ve moved to a distinct second phase: … Continue Reading

Google earnings climb, beat analysts' expectations

Google beat Wall Street expectations again in its earnings for the first quarter of 2010.

The company made $6.77 billion in revenue this quarter, up 23 percent from the same period last year. Profits were also up at $1.96 billion, compared to $1.42 billion in Q1 2009. Excluding one-time costs, Google earned $6.76 per share, while analysts had predicted $6.60 per share.

Google says this reflects growth across its products. Revenue from Google-owned properties increased … Continue Reading

Social email helper Xobni raises $16.2M in new funding

Xobni, a software plug-in that helps users see social connections in their email, is raising $16.2 million in new funding, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company confirmed the news and said that Khosla Ventures and RRE Ventures led the round.

Xobni makes email more useful with fast search; showing your contacts’ Facebook, LinkedIn, and Hoover’s profiles; revealing past attachments from a contact; and more. Its main product is a … Continue Reading

"Next generation" of Ning coming in 90 days after "painful" restructuring

Ning, the build-your-own-social-network company cofounded by entrepreneur-investor Marc Andreessen, is letting go of nearly 70 employees, or 40 percent of its workforce. It plans to relaunch as a paid-only service.

Ning’s new chief executive, Jason Rosenthal, said the company will release new premium features, a mobile experience and new application programming interfaces in 90 days. It’s been a difficult transition for the company, which was valued at $750 million during its most recent financing. In … Continue Reading

Verizon's next major Android phone, the Droid Incredible, coming April 29

Verizon users can stop waiting in vain for Google to bring its Nexus One smartphone over to the carrier, because there will soon be a new kid on the block that bests the Nexus One in many ways. Verizon announced today another entry in its popular “Droid” series of Android phones, the Droid Incredible by HTC.

The phone will be available on April 29 for $199.99 (after a $100 mail-in rebate) with a new two-year … Continue Reading

With Lightbank, Groupon founders spread their wings as Chicago's angels

Where I’ve Been, developers of a Facebook application that lets friends discuss travel plans, today announced it has secured Series A funding — its first formal round — for $750,000. While the size of the round is smaller than an angel round of $1 million raised in 2008, the investors are interesting: They’re Groupon founders Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell, through their recently launched investment fund Lightbank.

Lefkofsky told VentureBeat he and Keywell that they … Continue Reading

Glee iPhone app could be Smule's next big hit

A startup called Smule has released some of the coolest and most popular applications for the iPhone — the hits include Ocarina, which transforms iPhones into a musical instruments, and I am T-Pain, which let users sing while their voice is overlaid with Auto-Tune technology. For its latest app, Smule partnered with the popular Fox TV show Glee, and it’s looking like another big success.

For those of you who don’t watch the show, Glee … Continue Reading