David Lidsky's Blog, page 2904
August 28, 2015
This SAT Prep Platform Works On Motivation As Much As Content Knowledge
Testive's tech and coaching model focus on getting students to do what they'd rather put off.
While college entrance exams are now optional for some schools, and the status of the tests has flagged amid discussions of bias and limited predictive value, the SAT and ACT are still important elements of the college admissions process. The belief that it's in college-bound kids' best interest to get the highest score they can has resulted in a multibillion-dollar test-prep industry that more than doubled in size between 1998 and 2012. When the SAT changes in January 2016 (it's going back to two sections and 1,600 points, among other revisions), there's sure to be extra demand to be on top of the new test.
Support For Entrepreneurs May End Up On The UN's Next Agenda
Elizabeth Gore is spearheading a campaign to build a worldwide support network for new businesses for the next 15 years.
As the world prepares to create 600 million new jobs by a deadline of 2020, Dell entrepreneur in residence Elizabeth Gore is trying to put entrepreneur support on the UN's official agenda for the next 15 years.
August 27, 2015
Google Strikes Back Against Europe's Antitrust Charges
"Improving quality isn't anti-competitive," Google wrote in a blog post on Thursday.
Google published a blog post on Thursday responding to the European Commission's claims that some of its practices are anti-competitive. The commission, which acts as the executive body of the European Union, filed formal antitrust charges against Google in April 2015, alleging that its search results unfairly ranked its own shopping service over competitors.
Apple Announces Next iPhone Event: September 9
Expect new iPhones from Apple on September 9, but no miniature iPhone 6c.
Apple's upcoming iPhone event is taking place on September 9, and the press blitz is coming fast. While Apple itself has kept mum about what its latest set of announcements will focus on, there are already a few hints.
An Uber Competitor Is Coming To New York's Taxi Fleet
The new app will allow you to bypass surge pricing and Uber's $2 cab-hailing fee.
One of New York's largest providers of taxi cab tech is teaming with a startup to take on Uber. Queens-based Creative Mobile Technologies, which provides the ubiquitous credit card readers and Taxi TV monitors to half of New York's cabs, has inked a partnership with Arro to hail yellow and green cabs via smartphone. Arro's app will not charge the $2 fee that Uber currently tacks on when customers hail a taxi—and will be devoid of Uber's surge pricing.
At Long Last, Instagram Ends The Tyranny Of The Square
The image-sharing service now lets you go wide—or tall—for photos and videos that don't fit into its iconic square frame.
In its own way, it's been as defining a restriction as Twitter's 140-character limit. Instagram photos (and videos) come in one format: square. It forces the service's photographers into choosing thoughtful compositions, and provides an aesthetic link to the square snapshots that folks once took with Instamatics and Polaroids.
Amazon Dismisses "Dozens" Of Engineers Who Worked On Failed Fire Phone
The e-commerce company is also cutting back on other projects from Lab126, its hardware research and development division.
Amazon has sent packing "dozens" of engineers who worked on its ill-fated Fire phone, according to the Wall Street Journal. The e-commerce giant is also making other changes to Lab126, its consumer electronics R&D division, including putting the brakes on some of its more lofty hardware objectives.
Yes, Anti-Facial-Recognition Glasses Are Coming
The perfect gift for that person in your life who wants to take their privacy protection offline, too. But is it just window dressing?
Has the encroachment of facial-recognition software made you a little uneasy? Are you concerned that cameras are tracking your every movement in public? Are you not ready to commit to makeup-based camouflage? Well, the National Institute of Informatics (NII) of Japan is rolling out a first-of-its-kind commercial product next year that might be for you.
Airbnb Is The Latest Tech Company To Hire Big-Name Political Talent
Former Bill Clinton advisor Chris Lehane is Airbnb's new head of global policy and public affairs.
Airbnb announced on Thursday that it had hired Chris Lehane, a former advisor to President Clinton, as its new head of global policy and public affairs.
Unilever Makes Like A Tree, And Leaves The Forest For The Streets
The global corporation creates a film to raise awareness of deforestation ahead of UN Conference on Climate Change.
At the end of November, leaders from more than 190 countries will gather in Paris for the latest United Nations Conference on Climate Change to discuss a potential new agreement on climate action.
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