Shopify and Mailchimp today announced that the Mailchimp app, which let its users use their Shopify data to create targeted email campaigns, for example, is no longer available in its marketplace. The reason for this, Shopify says, is that it “had growing concerns about Mailchimp’s app because of the poor merchant experience and their refusal […]
View More Mailchimp and Shopify break upCategory: Publishing
Wattpad gains strategic investment from Times Bridge to further expand in India
Wattpad is further expanding into Asia with a new partnership and undisclosed strategic investment from Times Bridge, the global investment arm of the Times Group in India. The deal aims to help the storytelling community establish a larger presence in the country where it already counts over 2.6 million monthly users who have shared more […]
View More Wattpad gains strategic investment from Times Bridge to further expand in IndiaDid New York lose anything with Amazon’s rejection? It’s complicated.
Now that Amazon has said that it’s taking its ball and going home rather than deal with mean, pushy New Yorkers, outside observers are giving off the sense that the city (and its local politicians) are losing out for their recalcitrance. They’re wrong. New York City is running at about a 4.3% unemployment rate — […]
View More Did New York lose anything with Amazon’s rejection? It’s complicated.Wattpad’s latest deal will turn its stories into TV shows and movies in Korea
Wattpad’s ambitions to grow beyond a storytelling community for young adults took another leap forward today with the announcement of a new partnership that will help expand its reach in Asia. The company has teamed up with Huayi Brothers in Korea, who will now be Wattpad’s exclusive entertainment partner in the region. The two companies […]
View More Wattpad’s latest deal will turn its stories into TV shows and movies in KoreaAmazon’s ‘Alexa Blueprints’ can now be published publicly on the US Alexa Skills Store
Last year, Amazon introduced Alexa Blueprints, a way for an Alexa device owner to create their own customized voice skills and Alexa responses without needing to know how to code. These skills — like family trivia or tips for your babysitter — could then be published for personal use. Later, Amazon added the ability to share […]
View More Amazon’s ‘Alexa Blueprints’ can now be published publicly on the US Alexa Skills StoreBuzzFeed News employees vote to unionize
Shortly after BuzzFeed News employees revealed that they had voted to unionize, its editor-in-chief said the company wants to meet with them to discuss voluntarily recognition. Employees announced today that they are organizing as BuzzFeed News Union under the NewsGuild of New York. “Our staff has been organizing for several months, and we have legitimate […]
View More BuzzFeed News employees vote to unionizeAMI defends ‘good faith negotiations’ with Jeff Bezos but will investigate blackmail allegation
It’s the morning after the night before for AMI. And what a night it was. The company is officially in damage control mode after it released a short statement defending its communication and behavior with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who published evidence of blackmail that used leaked messages and nude photos of the billionaire that AMI had […]
View More AMI defends ‘good faith negotiations’ with Jeff Bezos but will investigate blackmail allegationOnline storytelling community Wattpad launches its own publishing arm, Wattpad Books
Wattpad, an online community for original fiction whose stories have been turned into streaming hits like Netflix’s “The Kissing Booth,” is now turning its eyes to publishing. The company today announced the launch of a new division, Wattpad Books, that aims to turn its most popular content into future best sellers. The books division will […]
View More Online storytelling community Wattpad launches its own publishing arm, Wattpad BooksAmazon has paused sales of its Echo Wall Clock due to connectivity issues
Amazon launched an Echo Wall Clock before the end of the last year but, less than a month later, things aren’t running to schedule. The e-commerce giant has paused the sale of the $30 Alexa-powered smart clock after a number of customers reported connectivity issues, according to The Verge. The clock is still listed on Amazon but, […]
View More Amazon has paused sales of its Echo Wall Clock due to connectivity issuesIs your time worth more than $0.30 an hour?
Most of us believe our time is extremely valuable, certainly worth more than thirty cents. But then you read about human decision-making, and you have to wonder what goes through people’s heads. This time, it is Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg at The Wall Street Journal, who wrote a review of Amazon Publishing, the printing house (if […]
View More Is your time worth more than $0.30 an hour?Put Alexa and a JBL speaker in your ceiling with this clever LED downlight
This light makes the smarthome even more accessible. Installed as any other ceiling downlight,the June AI downlight features Amazon Alexa through an integrated JBL speakers. There’s a light in there too. The idea is great: make the smarthome invisible. Instead of having an Amazon Echo sitting on a table, this device sits in a person’s […]
View More Put Alexa and a JBL speaker in your ceiling with this clever LED downlightLawmakers say Amazon’s facial recognition software may be racially biased and harm free expression
Amazon has “failed to provide sufficient answers” about its controversial facial recognition software, Rekognition — and lawmakers won’t take the company’s usual silent treatment for an answer. The letter, signed by eight lawmakers — including Sen. Edward Markey and Reps. John Lewis and Judy Chu — called on Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos to explain […]
View More Lawmakers say Amazon’s facial recognition software may be racially biased and harm free expression