In today’s Bulldog wrapup of technology news:
- Disney offers wider access to its movies online
- Facebook’s Messenger is now the No. 2 app – behind Facebook
- Amazon launching $50 tablet
- Uber raises $1.2 billion in China
- Samsung is cutting jobs
The details:
Disney teams up with Amazon and Microsoft
Disney has signed agreements with Amazon and Microsoft that will allow them to use its cloud-based digital movie service.
The Walt Disney Co. said that customers of Amazon Video and Microsoft Movies & TV will be able to connect to Disney Movies Anywhere starting Tuesday. The service will let users access Disney, Pixar, Marvel and “Star Wars” movies in various ways, including through the Disney Movies Anywhere app for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and for Amazon Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick.
The app will be available on Roku and Android TV starting Sept. 15.
Disney Movies Anywhere already works with iTunes, Google Play and Walmart’s VUDU.
- Report: Facebook Messenger No. 2 app
Facebook Messenger is now the No. 2 most popular app – behind Facebook itself, according to data from analytics firm comScore.
“Messenger is Facebook’s answer to concerns that younger users are gravitating more to messaging apps like Snapchat. Of late, Facebook has embellished the app, adding invideo calling, instant video sharing, peer-to-peer payments and even a personal assistant called M. Whatever the reasons for the increased focus on Messenger, the company’s efforts are paying off,” reports The Verge.
Read more at:
http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/4/9264069/facebook-messenger-google-youtube-apps
- Amazon’s new, cheaper tablet
Amazon is rolling out a new, cheaper tablet at $50, reports The Wall Street Journal.
“The Seattle online retailer plans to release a $50 tablet with a 6-inch screen, in time for this year’s holidays, according to people familiar with the matter. That would make it one of the least-expensive tablets on the market and half the price of the company’s current Fire HD 6-inch tablet,” the paper says.
Read more at:
http://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-to-release-50-tablet-as-it-struggles-to-sell-pricier-devices-1441653902
- Uber raises $1.2 billion to expand in China
Ride-sharing service Uber has raised $1.2 billion to expand in China, reports TechCrunch.
“The news appears to have been timed to coincide with another big piece of funding in the Chinese transportation wars: Uber’s biggest competitor in the country, Didi Kuaidi, also confirmed today that it has raised an extra $3 billion for its own coffers,” the website says.
Read more at:.
Uber Has Raised $1.2B More In China With Baidu Investing As Rival Didi Kuaidi Gets $3B
- Samsung is cutting jobs
Samsung plans to cut 10 percent of its headquarters work force, according to Bloomberg news.
“Samsung is targeting workers in the human resources, public relations and finance departments, Korea Economic Daily reported Tuesday, citing people it didn’t identify. The Suwon, South Korea-based company also plans to cut some expenses next year, the report added. Samsung declined to comment in an e-mail,” the news service rsaid.
Read more at:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-08/samsung-to-cut-10-of-headquarters-staff-economic-daily-says?utm_source=Daily+Email&utm_campaign=9076d8d5c7-1509089_7_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_03a4a88021-9076d8d5c7-247923585
