Uber’s financing has skyrocketed under Callinicos. CNET Uber’s chief financial officer is stepping down after nearly two years of leading financing rounds that have seen the ride-hailing service become one of the most valuable venture-backed startups. The departure of Brent Callinicos was revealed Monday in an email sent to investors by Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. …
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As part of its fight against harassment, Twitter has banned posting of revenge porn. James Martin/CNET Twitter is stepping up its battle against user abuse and harassment with new rules that prohibit the posting of revenge porn — images of nudity or sexual acts posted without the subject’s permission. Twitter said Wednesday it would lock user accounts and hide content …
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Snapchat dials up a $200 million investment from Alibaba. Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has made an investment in Snapchat that could value the ephemeral message service at $15 billion, sources confirmed Wednesday. Alibaba has invested $200 million in the startup, which specializes in messages that vanish after they are read, according to people with knowledge of the …
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A supporter of Ross Ulbricht protests outside his trial in January. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Ross Ulbricht, the convicted founder of online drug marketplace Silk Road, is seeking a new trial based on the premise that prosecutors failed to disclose evidence in a timely fashion. After hearing evidence for nearly a month, a jury in February took less than three hours …
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Softcard launched nationwide in 2013 as Isis. Softcard Softcard, the carrier-backed mobile payments initiative, is shutting down its app after striking a deal to help expand the reach of Google’s mobile payments system. The joint venture between Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile announced Wednesday it would disable its mobile app and close all customer accounts on March 31. As part …
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Apple has been rumored to be working on a tablet even larger than its iPad Air 2. Sarah Tew/CNET Apple’s much-rumored big-screen iPad won’t be landing in consumers’ hands anytime soon, according to a new report. A 12.9-inch version of Apple’s tablet was expected to go in to production this quarter but has been delayed until around September, sources described …
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Etsy offers a variety of vintage and artisanal items for sale. The company has decided it’s time to go public. CNET Etsy, the online crafts marketplace, filed papers on Wednesday to raise $100 million in an initial public offering. Founded in 2005, the website derives its revenue from listing fees and commissions on the sale of items such as handmade …
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Google is taking another stab at the mobile-payments market with Android Pay. Google PayPal and Google announced moves Monday to better position themselves for the expected growth in popularity of mobile payments. PayPal, the digital payments unit being spun off from eBay later this year, announced Monday it would acquire Paydiant, a startup that helps companies such as Subway and …
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Meet HTC’s brand new flagship superphone, the One M9. Andrew Hoyle/CNET HTC unveiled a slew of products Sunday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, including a new version of its One flagship smartphone, a virtual reality headset and a fitness band. HTC’s new One M9sports a metal body with a gold and silver finish, a 5-inch screen with sapphire …
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Aereo offered its assets during a bankruptcy auction this week. Joan E. Solsman/CNET Aereo, the defunct streaming-TV service shuttered last year over copyright violations, raised less than $2 million from the sale of its assets in a bankruptcy auction this week. Aereo’s trademark and customer lists were sold to TiVo, maker of digital video recorders, while patent risk-management firm RPX …
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