Facebook’s attempts to clone Snapchat know no limit. The social networking giant is in the enviable position of owning a number of the world’s most used internet services and applications. Facebook the social network is closing in on two billion registered users — a level of global reach that is unprecedented in history — while its Messenger app counts one billion… Read More

 Hot on the heels of rolling out its own version of Twitter, called Pulse, video game streaming site Twitch today announced its new desktop application, Twitch Desktop App. Twitch says the app will include community servers, voice and video messaging and game content distribution. Read More

 Facebook has scored a significant deal that will allow it to stream at least 22 live Major League Soccer matches on its social network. Through a collaboration with both MLS and Univision Deportes, Facebook gained the rights to stream the 2017 MLS regular-season matches in English, as well as enhance the video content with various interactive elements. Read More

 In preparation for Disrupt New York in May I’m going to hold a few pitching workshops in New York for you all. We’ll listen to and critique 8 pitches on March 13th at 7pm at the Knotel space at 22 West 38th Street, 4th Floor. This is an informal pitch-off, but the two best teams will get two tickets to Disrupt New York and the undying admiration of millions of people (actually… Read More

 Momo, China’s top location-based social networking app, has continued its impressive user growth from last year and added solid financial figures to back it up, according to its most recent earnings report. The company, which was previously backed by Alibaba, went public when it listed on Nasdaq in December 2014. Read More

 Pocket, the smart bookmarking and content discovery service that was recently acquired by Mozilla, just launched an iMessage app that is pretty nifty for those who use both services regularly. I’ve been pretty frustrated with the lack of genuinely useful iMessage apps since its launch last September, but in Pocket I might have found something of use. The iMessage integration… Read More

 Snap today took another step on its quest to truly become the “camera company” it says it is. Following the November 21st launch and subsequent February 20th close of its NYC pop-up shop, it’s now opening a temporary store on the Venice boardwalk near its Los Angeles headquarters. Of course, would-be camera sunglasses buyers don’t have to trek to a physical location… Read More

 Norwegian startup Gobi raised $500,000 at a $15 million valuation to take on Snapchat with its “Stories” communication tool. The platform enables users to create public and private groups where users can share photos and videos that stay around for three days before vanishing into digital pixel-dust. Read More

 So.cl, the little-known and probably much-forgotten social network project from Microsoft Research’s FUSE Labs division, is closing down. The service was launched in late 2011 as a social community where the objective was “collaborative consumption, not communication.” Initially for students, So.cl opened up to anyone once it had gotten going and subsequently added support… Read More

 Tinder has been operating a members-only version of the platform called Tinder Select, which is meant to serve only the elite users on the app, including CEOs, super models, and other hyper-attractive/upwardly affluent types. One source who was using the app said it’s “for celebrities and people who do really well on Tinder.” It appears that Tinder has invited people to… Read More