How Facebook is wooing big advertisers; Inside Khan Academy Computer Science project.
iPad mini will look like a large iPod touch with smaller side bezels [9 to 5 MAC]
We received a number of tips over the last few weeks from sources that we have reason to believe hold knowledge about Apple’s plans on the upcoming iPad mini. A reoccurring theme of late is that the iPad mini will “look like a big iPod touch” with smaller bezels along the sides in portrait mode and separate volume buttons and not a “rocker” and a mic on the back.
Twitter co-founders preview medium, their publishing platform that give anyone an audience [TECHCRUNCH]
Obvious Corp has just unlocked Medium.com, revealing that its a publishing platform that collects submitted text and images into themed collections so you don’t need a following to be heard. Anyone can read and give feedback on Medium entries starting today, with publishing access to roll out from friends and family to more people soon. Backed by Twitter co-founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone plus the rest of the Obvious crew, Medium could democratize content distribution.
Inside Facebook’s push to woo big advertisers [THE WALL STREET JOURNAL]
A nervous Ms. Everson arrived wearing a blue dress in honor of Facebook’s signature color. Mark Zuckerberg welcomed the group via video conference. As the ad types peppered the young chief executive officer with questions, a theme emerged. If they committed to spending big bucks with Facebook, how could they be assured a return on their investment?
Khan Academy launches the future of computer science [TECHCRUNCH]
The portal’s interactive design is a major evolutionary step for a website that has since been almost entirely based on YouTube lectures (with over 178 million views). I rarely get excited about online education, which often just recycles our antiquated education system into a digital format, but the new Khan Academy Computer Science project is beyond impressive.
The $99 box that wants to crush the Xbox [FORTUNE]
The Los Angeles, California-based startup with the funny sounding, vowel-laden name aims to upend the traditional console gaming market by selling a low-cost gaming system. Based on Google’s Android operating system, the system will feature a quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB internal flash storage, HDMI and Wifi connections as well as a wireless controller. Ouya won’t be in the business of selling discs — unlike Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony. Instead, the company will adopt the app store model that has made Apple’s products into a gaming phenomenon.
Megaupload founder says he’ll launch new music venture this year [CNNMONEY]
Just one week after being released on bail in New Zealand, Kim Dotcom, the bad-boy German founder of notorious cyberlocker Megaupload, announced on Twitter that he is planning to launch a music service called Megabox later this year. Megabox has been on the drawing board for a while: Dotcom first mentioned it in a guest post for Torrent Freak the month before his arrest. The venture will “allow artists to sell their creations direct to consumers and allowing [sic] artists to keep 90% of earnings,” he wrote.
