Google Announces The Africa News Challenge
Google, in partnership with the Gates Foundation, Knight Foundation, the Omidyar Network and others, is backing a news innovation contest focused on Africa and run by the Africa Media Initiative. Entries to the Africa News Innovation Challenge can come from anywhere and will be accepted in English, French, Portuguese or Arabic, but all entries must have a partner in Africa. Winners will receive grants of up to $100,000 from a total prize budget of $1 million. According to the website: "Of particular interest are proposals that improve data-based investigative journalism, audience engagement, mobile news distribution, data visualization, new revenue models and workflow systems." The contest is a timely one--according to a recent study mobile Web browsing accounts for 10 percent of all browsing, with Africa leading the charge. Earlier this year, Google and AP awarded a first set of scholarships worth $20,000 as part of the annual AP-Google Technology Scholarship Program to 6 journalism students in the U.S.
Kindle Lending Library Will Stock Harry Potter
Amazon just announced that the Harry Potter series will be available in the Kindle Lending library (available for free to Amazon Prime members) starting in June. Until now, the Harry Potter e-books were only available through J.K. Rowling's custom site, Pottermore.com, which had been promoted as the only portal to e-books and audiobooks for Potter. But the site was much-delayed, and now Amazon has gained exclusive access to license the collection. Amazon hinted yesterday that such plans were in the making, when it featured an enormous owl on the Kindle home page with accompanying text that read, "Wizardry is on the way."
SoundCloud Announces Redesign
SoundCloud has announced a slick new redesign that's "simpler, faster, and more social." SoundCloud, which is in its fifth year, has picked up 15 million amateur and pro users who use it to record and share music and sounds, and view sound profiles. In the new "Next Soundcloud" profile pages have been goosed up, and a new "Repost" button allows users to share what their friends have been listening to. With so much going on, a real-time notifications center keeps users updated about changes in the SoundCloudiverse.
Apple To Help Pay For Foxconn Factory Fixes
Via Reuters: Apple will dip into its $100 billion cash pile and help offset Foxconn's expenses in improving factory conditions and worker hours. The announcement came from Foxconn's Terru Gou as the company broke ground for a new Shanghai HQ. This is the latest of Apple's attempts to improve its relationship with its Chinese manufacturing partners. Early this year, Apple was criticized for turning a blind eye to long hours and cramped living conditions at partner factories. The company responded swiftly, and invited the Fair Labor Association to audit Foxconn. As more evidence that it was taking the issue seriously, Tim Cook made a personal visit to a factory in Zhengzhou--the first Apple CEO to do so. Also, in response to FLA's scathing review, Apple has been posting monthly updates about ongoing improvements.
Sony Reports Record Loss: $5.7 Billion Lost In 2011
Sony corporation just reported a record loss for a single fiscal year: 457 billion yen, an equivalent of $5.7 billion dollars for the year 2011. $3.2 billion, about 56% of the loss, was incurred in the final January-March quarter as Sony saw its fifth failed quarter in a row. The Japanese firm was hit, it says, by unfavorable exchange rates affecting the Japanese yen, and by the aftermath of the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the nation in early 2011. Some of the losses will also have been incurred as Sony bought its way out of the Sony-Ericsson mobile phone partnership in order to pursue its own-branded smartphones. Sony recently said it was going to attempt to follow an Apple-style model with reduced inventory of more polished products. Recently rumors surrounding its key next-gen gaming platform have swirled, and point to a 2014 launch.
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