Modern LDRs: There's an App for That

Pair is an app that lets you and your significant other “be together, when you're apart”. Currently available on iOS, though an Android version is in the works, Pair was created by Oleg Kostour and four other developers when they moved from Canada to Mountain View, leaving their girlfriends behind.

“We were trying to stay connected with them using Skype, SMS, Facebook, and email. The communication was scattered across many products, and we always felt like there was something missing,” Kostour says.

And thus, Pair came to be. You can use the app to send text messages, photos, and videos that only you and your significant other can see – sort of like a mini Facebook for two. You can also share your location, doodle together in real time, save important dates such as birthdays and anniversaries, and “thumbkiss” – that's when you and your partner touch the same spot on the screen.

Single hearts are now probably groaning at the cheesiness of it all. But don't dismiss Pair just yet, because when you find that special someone, this could very well be the one app that you won't be without.

e-Cycling Gets Smarter Thanks to San Diego Startup

With 40 million tons of e-waste being discarded annually around the world, the need for green solutions is becoming more and more apparent. ecoATM, a startup headquartered in San Diego, California, has stepped up to the challenge. Its answer: an automated e-cycling station of the same name, which makes recycling electronic gadgets as easy as pie.

The cupboard-sized machine, which was featured at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this past January, allows consumers to exchange used devices for cash or credit. All you have to do is go to a kiosk and drop your mobile phone, MP3 player, or tablet into the machine. Using advanced, patented technology and artificial intelligence, the ecoATM will assess the value of your device based on real-time secondary market prices and give you a quote. If you accept, you get cash on the spot. Or, you can opt to receive store credit or make a charitable contribution.

According to ecoATM CEO Tom Tullie, 75 percent of the devices they collect at the kiosks are given a second life. For the remaining 25 percent that have no further use, the startup partners with recycling centers that possess Responsible Recycling (R2) or Basel Action Network (BAN) certifications. These establishments then reclaim the gadgets' raw materials and precious metals in an eco-friendly manner.

The winner of the Best Clean Tech Startup Crunchies award for 2011, ecoATM currently has about 50 kiosks scattered across the United States, with the majority situated in malls and grocery stores in California. The company plans to add 500 more locations by the end of this year.

The ecoATM e-cycling station, which has passed ISO14011 and R2 certifications, has been recognized by the United Nation's Low Carbon Leadership program as an innovative environmental solution. In addition, the kiosk has received CONNECT's Most Innovative Product award for 2009, among other honors.

New Website Turns Shopping-Phobic Men Into Fashionistas

It's no secret that, generally, men aren't as fond of shopping as women. Many would probably prefer to have their clothes shipped to them rather than going out to buy them. And this is just what Frank & Oak, a startup based in Montreal, Canada, is offering – a convenient, painless shopping experience for men ages 20 to 35.

Similar to a personalized men's fashion magazine, as CEO Ethan Song put it, Frank & Oak publishes a new collection on its website every month. Members receive an email newsletter with a selection of items based on their style and preference. They can choose five pieces from the collection, which are then delivered straight to their doorstep so they can try them on. If they like something, they pay for it and keep it. Otherwise, they simply send the products back. The service is free and there is no pressure to make a purchase.

Unlike some fashion websites that dictate what their audience should be wearing, Frank & Oak does it the other way around and pays attention to what appeals to their customers. “Our clients play an important role in the direction of our products,” Song says.

And because Frank & Oak is not merely acting as a curator but also designing and manufacturing the garments, they are able to offer exclusive, quality items at affordable prices. Everything for sale is $50 or less.

According to Song, “Everything is shipped directly from us to the client. It's almost as if we design the product and the client receives the product directly from the manufacturer. By doing that we're cutting out two or three layers of cost.”

Within a week of opening its doors to retail indifferent men last February, Frank & Oak has already admitted 12,000 subscribers. Still, the startup is limiting its membership base due to inventory reasons.

Free App Puts Phones on Data Diet

When a friend came home from vacation with $1,000 in wireless roaming charges, Israeli software developer Roi Tiger (pronounced “Tigger”) thought it was ridiculous and thus decided to create something that would reduce sky-high mobile data bills.

Tiger's undertaking eventually led to a startup called Onavo, where he now works as CTO. With offices in Tel Aviv and San Francisco, Onavo offers free iOS and Android apps that give control back to users.

As the first and only consumer-oriented data management app, Onavo helps users get the most out of their plan by compressing data, so usage is shrunk to as much as 80 percent. Additionally, the software generates monthly activity reports and informs users which apps are hogging data.

Described as a “must-have app” by The Next Web and TechCrunch, Onavo has been downloaded a million times in 150 countries. Earlier this year, the company raised $10 million from Magma Venture Partners, Horizons Ventures, Motorola Mobility Ventures, and Sequoia Capital.

Giving Indie Artists a Leg Up

In June 2010, Lucas Sommer launched Audimated to help his fellow independent musicians gain exposure and make money with their music. Previously, he had been running a studio in Miami, where he writes and produces songs for indie artists.

Audimated serves as an online marketplace for artists to promote their work and reach more fans. Bands and singers can set up their own store, where they can sell music, tickets, merchandise, and other stuff.

Though initially developed to address the problems of struggling artists, Audimated also caters to indie music fans. In addition to discovering new bands and having access to streams, downloads, and videos, fans can earn money as well by helping promote their favorite musicians. Like artists, fans can create an Audimated store and then earn a commission for every sale.

Audimated is free to join but charges a nominal transaction fee on sales. For extra features such as better visibility and search results priority, Audimated offers a paid premium account option. 

Magoosh Changes the Way Students Prep for Standardized Tests

Founded in 2009 by CEO Hansoo Lee and CPO Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh is an online resource that helps students prepare for the GRE, GMAT, and SAT. (And also TOEFL in the near future.) Knowing that they can come up with a better test prep product than what was available in the market, the founders employed their experience and know-how in education and technology to create something that they wished they had when they were studying for their own standardized exams.

Headquartered in Berkeley, California, Magoosh is a play on the Old Persian word “magush”, which refers to a wise person. With the objective to provide an excellent educational experience to all, the company offers test prep programs with several lessons and questions created by industry experts. To date, students from more than 150 countries have used Magoosh, watching over 10,000 hours of video and completing practice questions over a million times. 

In addition to lessons and questions, Magoosh offers other features such as video and text explanations for each problem, tips and tricks for exam day, and performance feedback. Additionally, users can customize their practice sessions, review all their previous answers, and flag difficult questions.

According to co-founder Bhavin Parikh, one of the reasons behind the success of Magoosh is the company's flexible work hours. Knowing that different people have different work rhythms, Magoosh employees can work whenever they want, as long as they get their tasks done on time and show up to the mandatory 10-minute daily meeting before noon. “This freedom shows we have faith in our employees, and yields amazing results.”

Since its inception, Magoosh has been cited in The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, and The San Francisco Chronicle, among others. Furthermore, the company has received the Intel Foundation Entrepreneurial Award as well as won the UC Berkeley CET Venture Lab Competition and North Bridge Venture Partners Competition.

The New Technology Behind Nike's Latest Running Shoe

For professional runners and running enthusiasts, the shoes they were play a huge role in their performance. The perfect running shoe would be one that is lightweight and fits like a glove – or in this case, sock – as such a a design would reduce injuries and increase speed. 

In the 1980s, Nike came out with the Sock Racer. And while it was comfortable, it wasn't durable enough. Other footwear manufacturers have tried to step up to the plate, but no one has succeeded – until now. Nike announced its latest running shoe last month, and this time, they got it right.

The Flyknit, which will be available in US stores starting July, boasts of a precise fit and a weight of 160 grams – way lighter than the popular Air Pegasus+ 28's 290 grams. But Nike executives aren't just thrilled about putting out a better running shoe. According to them, the advanced manufacturing technology behind the Flyknit can change the entire sports footwear industry.

Unlike other shoes that are assembled by hand, the Flyknit is woven together by a 15-foot-long machine using synthetic yarn. The result is a single-piece shoe upper that fits snugly like a second skin; the tongue and sole are added later on. With 35 fewer pieces to be sewn than the Air Pegasus+ 28, the Flyknit significantly slashes labor costs, production time, and wasted material.

Nike CEO Mark Parker says, “There is no more cutting and stitching with this. The most labor-intensive part of the footwear manufacturing process is gone from the picture.”

The Flyknit is the result of a four-year collaboration between teams of designers, engineers, and programmers. The engineers and programmers were hired by Nike to modify a sweater and sock knitting machine to weave a sneaker upper instead. 

Runners will have two models of the Flyknit to choose from, the Racer and the Trainer+.