In today’s Bulldog wrapup:

  • IBM’s “Watson”  to speak in dinosaur toys
  • Durham-based startup Windsor Circle is hiring and looking for interns
  • AT&T-Alltel deal in N.C. close
  • Another “flash” sale sellout for Lenovo
  • BlackBerry sues Ryan Seacrist again

The details:

  • Startup Powers Dino Toys with Watson

CongiToys, with the help of IBM, is powering its children’s interactive dinosaur-shaped toys with the power of IBM’s Watson.

The toys are available through Kickstarter as CongiToys, which won an IBM development contest, looks to raise funding.

The toys feature Watson providing answers in natural language. 

Check out more at: http://www.informationweek.com/it-life/ibms-watson-inspires-a-childs-toy/d/d-id/1319126

Check out the Kickstarter campaign here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/522717158/cognitoys-internet-connected-smart-toys-that-learn/description

  • Windsor Circle Hiring, Seeks Interns 

Ecommerce startup Windsor Circle in Durham is growing fast and is hiring.

The company has a number of jobs available. At the same time it’s seeking interns. 

“Windsor Circle will seek new talent at five upcoming career and tech-related events around the Triangle: N.C. State’s Design Career Expo and Spring Interviews on February 19; Duke’s Startup Connect Networking Fair on February 19; the High Five Marketing Conference in Raleigh on February 25-26; NCCU’s Spring Eagle Career Network Fair on February 26; and UNC-Chapel Hill’s Spring Job & Internship Expo on February 26,” the company says.

“Windsor Circle is eager to bring passionate, energetic new talent aboard their growing team. Positions ranging from internships to executive roles are available, with openings in design, sales, marketing, IT, accounting, client success, and development, among others.”

Find out more at: http://www.windsorcircle.com/jobs.

  • AT&T-Alltel Deal Closes in N.C.

AT&T and Alltel have wrapped up their deal in North Carolina, with some 60,000 former Altlel customers moving to AT&T. The deal was announced in September 2013. 

 

Counties where AT&T acquired network and spectrum assets: Alexander, Anson, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Montgomery, Richmond and Scotland.

“We’ve worked day and night to upgrade our network in North Carolina so that former Alltel customers will have a great experience with AT&T,” said Paul Harper, AT&T’s area retail manager for Rockingham. “These customers will have access to a better combined network; in fact, AT&T’s 4G LTE network is capable of data speeds up to 10 times faster than the 3G speeds on the former Alltel network. Customers now also enjoy the latest smartphones and tablets and have award-winning retail locations to meet their wireless needs.”

  • Another Flash Sale Sellout for Lenovo

The image flashes on Twitter, as posted with this blog, says it all:

Lenovo’s latest Internet “flash” sale of 20,000 smartpones in India sold out in seconds.

It’s the latest in a series of sales as Lenovo steps up its fight to win market share in that country.

Not everyone was happy. 

Lenovo is “totally befooling us….. i login before 2pm nd at 2pm it becomes out of stock widout displaying buy option,” posted one frustrated buyer.:

“sorry for disappointing you,” Lenovo responded. “We are actively working towards replenishing stocks.”

Lenovo is planning another “flasH event later this month. 

  • BlackBerry Again Sues Ryan Seacrest Startup

Smartphone maker BlackBerry has revived a legal battle against astartup co-founded by Ryan Seacrest, saying its iPhone keyboard rips off the design from BlackBerry phones’ physical keyboards.

BlackBerry Ltd. won a preliminary injunction last year against Typo Products’ firstkeyboard. But Typo released a second-generation keyboard in December. Called the Typo2, it is a case that gives iPhones a physical keyboard below the touch screens.

In a federal lawsuit filed Monday in San Francisco, BlackBerry said Typo is still infringing on BlackBerry’s patents, including those related to design, backlighting and typing automation technologies. Among the claims, BlackBerry said design elements copied include having at least two of the three rows of keys extend to the side edges, and having little vertical space between the rows of keys.

“These elements … are distinctive and serve to identify BlackBerry as the source ofBlackBerry’s products,” BlackBerry, which is based in Waterloo, Ontario, said in its lawsuit.

Seacrest started Typo with entrepreneur Laurence Hallier in 2013. Hallier was named as a defendant, but Seacrest was not. The company declined to comment on the lawsuit. Typo2 is available for the iPhone 5 and 5s for $79 and the iPhone 6 for $99.

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