Matt Burns
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Court Docs Reveal Reputed Silk Road Founder’s Alleged Murder-For-Hire Plot
For two and a half years, Silk Road was the Deep Web’s worst-kept secret. The underground site was infamous for drug trafficking, gun running and murder for hire – a veritable rogues gallery for underground dealers. Since launching in 2011, the site generated over $1.2 billion in revenue and $79.8 million in commissions. It was one of the not-so-secret successes of the underground web. Read More
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FBI Seizes Deep Web Black Market Silk Road, Arrests Owner
The feds have caught up to the Silk Road. The underground website long known for drug trafficking was seized by the FBI who also arrested the owner on three criminal counts. New York State prosecutors charged Ross William Ulbricht with one count each of narcotics trafficking conspiracy, computer hacking conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, according to a court filing. Read More
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HTC Moves To Tweak The HTC One Ahead Of Possible U.S. Import Ban
Things could get even worse for HTC if the battered smartphone maker doesn't move quickly. The WSJ is reporting that following a preliminary U.S. court win by Nokia, HTC is facing possible import ban in its major overseas markets including the U.S. The ruling covers older HTC phones, but apparently the hot HTC One and other new devices also utilize the same radio technology covered in the lawsuit. Read More
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Calling Hardware Startups, Compete In Hardware Battlefield For $50,000
Gadgets, gizmos and things are hot. With the rise of crowdfunding and easier paths to manufacturing, there are more gadgeteers than ever before. And we're looking for some of the best hardware startups to compete on our Las Vegas stage for a giant $50,000 check, tons of publicity and the brand new Hardware Battlefield cup. Read More
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GoPro Releases The Smaller, Faster Hero3+ Action Camera
Just when you thought GoPros couldn't get any smaller, meet the Hero3+. The new model is 20 percent smaller than its predecessor and packs some much-improved internals, allowing the camera to capture even better quality imagery. GoPro claims the upgraded lens should result in images that are 33 percent sharper while featuring half the amount of digital artifacts. The camera's sensor has also… Read More
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HTC To Sell Back Its Remaining Stake In Beats Electronics For $265M
The writing was on the wall. It was bound to happen. HTC has sold its remaining stake in Beats Electronics for $265 million. This is likely nothing more than a desperate bid to improve the battered phone maker's cash balances. According to Bloomberg, the deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. By selling beck the 24.84 percent stake in Beats, HTC stands to gain a NT$2.52 billion ($85… Read More
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Ford Buys Automotive App Maker Livio Radio For ‘Less Than $10M’
Ford Motors today is announcing the acquisition of Livio Radio, a maker of a platform for in-car apps, with a focus on audio and music services. This is the car-maker's first technology acquisition in 13 years. The Ferndale, MI-based startup -- now a subsidiary of Ford’s Global Technologies Group -- will continue to operate under the original name. Neither party has disclosed the terms of the… Read More
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Nest Labs To Open Up Its Learning Thermostat To Developers
The Nest Learning Thermostat is about to get a little smarter (and perhaps the forthcoming Protect). Speaking at CEDIA Expo 2013, Tony Fadell, the company's co-founder and CEO, just detailed an API that's aimed at developers looking to integrate the Learning Thermostat within their ecosystem. Want one app to control your smart lighting, fan, security system and climate control? This API could be… Read More
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Of Course Samsung Is Now Making A Gold GS4
I'm going to try to write this without mentioning the gold iPhone 5s. Samsung just took the wraps off of two gold-themed Galaxy S4 smartphones: Gold Pink and Gold Brown. Both options are seemingly cosmetic updates to Samsung's Android flagship. I can't do it. Read More
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Nest Labs’ Next Product To Be A Smoke Detector, Per Reports
The Nest Learning Thermostat is about to get a sibling. The Protect. If this report is correct, the company behind the incredibly popular Learning Thermostat is prepping a smoke detector. Yep, a smoke detector -- which sounds about right for Nest Labs. Read More
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iPhone Activation Servers Crumble Under The Weight Of iOS 7
Happy iOS 7 day! Except for me. And legions of other iPhone owners who, for various reasons, had to activate their iPhone in the iOS 7 install process. Our phones are stuck in iOS 7 activation limbo. Read More
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Introducing Disrupt Daily, TC’s Daily Flipboard Magazine Covering The Best Of Disrupt SF 2013
There's a lot happening at Disrupt SF. So much so that it cannot be consumed on just one site. Produced daily at 6:00pm PDT (right after the last panel of the day) a new Flipboard magazine will be released to showcase the best of the day's panels, interviews, and videos. Between all the stories and videos from Disrupt, (not to mention all the social channels we run) it can be a little… Read More
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Missing Disrupt? Follow The Action On These Social Channels
Disrupt SF is bigger than one site can handle. Our Instagram, Flickr, Flipboard and Facebook accounts are packed with the happenings from Disrupt. If that’s not enough, we have accounts just for Disrupt that have even more content. Because Disrupt is that big. Read More
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Hardware Is Eating The World
It's clear more than ever that hardware is in vogue. The rise of crowdfunding coincided with the shrinking of processors and sensors. It's never been easier to create a smart device. And on Wednesday, September 11, hardware companies will fill the halls of The Concourse at San Francisco Design Center for Disrupt SF. The atmosphere takes on a distinctly science fair vibe, with drones flying around… Read More
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Your Turn, Apple
I'm sold. One picture did it. The one above by Josh Miller at CNET. I want the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch. It doesn't matter if the UI is sluggish. I don't care if it requires charging once a day. I don't even care if Samsung overloaded it with applications, which seems to be the case. I'm not going to buy it. But my inner nerd really wants it. The Galaxy Gear watch is hot, even if it has a… Read More
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Meet The Sony QX10 And QX100, Smart Lenses That Turn Phones Into True Cameras
Smartphones have cameras. But they're mostly garbage when compared to a dedicated camera. Besides the Lumia 1020, of course. The cameras on smartphones have tiny image capture sensors and low-quality glass, the sum of which equals pictures that are just good enough -- not impressive. It's convenience over quality. Enter the Sony QX10 and QX100 lens camera. Read More
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Sony Hopes Sex Sells Smartphones
Remember that time Sony hired pretty ladies to swim erotically with its new smartphone? It's apparently happening at IFA. And while I admit I'm advancing their cause by posting this, it's worth noting that you, the viewer, will likely not forget that Sony smartphones are waterproof. That is, of course, if you even notice the smartphones in the video. Read More
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Xbox One To Launch In 13 Markets On November 22
Dig out your camping gear and stake your spot in line now, ladies and germs. The Xbox One is hitting stores on November 22. And for those keeping track, that's almost a full week after the PS4's November 15 retail launch. Because that matters. Read More
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Sony Hopes You’ll Carry A Lens In Your Pocket
Remember that time when your smartphone camera just wasn't good enough? That time when you wanted a picture that was just slightly better? You know, the time you lugged a pocket camera to your kid's karate lesson or significant other's colonoscopy. Well. Sony will soon have a product for you, friend! The Sony QX10 and QX100 are leaking from all corners of the Internet folllowing their surprise… Read More
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Help Wanted: Social Media Volunteer Intern For TechCrunch Disrupt SF
So TechCrunch is hosting a little shindig in San Francisco this September. Disrupt SF, it's called. And we're looking for a couple of over-qualified social media types who are willing to be overworked and underpaid (and go to parties and get free cool stuff). Apply below. The perfect candidate consumes Twitter like it's oxygen, interacts with Instagram more than most porn spam bots, and reblogs… Read More