Sheda | Tech News July 2016

Google co-founder 'funds flying cars'

Google co-founder Larry Page has reportedly been funding two startups with a focus in developing flying cars.

Reports said Mr Page had backed one startup, Zee.Aero, with more than $A135 million since it started in 2010, and had also funded another one called Kitty Hawk, in 2015.

Company Zee.Aero conducts prototype test flights at an airport nearby to Google's Mountain View headquarters.

You can read the full story here in Bloomberg Businessweek.

Other flying cars in development. *Photo: Twitter/Bloomberg*

Sheda uses design and emerging technologies like A.I and blockchain to solve complex problems that make and accelerate impact and bring about postive social change.

get in touch

Microsoft set to acquire LinkedIn

News that Microsoft will use the largest acquisition in its history to take over professional networking platform, LinkedIn, for $A35.44 billion got people talking this week.

Word is that Microsoft made the move to revitalise the company, which is viewed by many as long-left behind in tech innovation.

Check out the story here in The Australian.

Jeff Weiner (l) will remain as LinkedIn CEO but report to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. *Photo: Twitter*

SEED Blog: Should designers be multi-skilled?

SEED Design Lead, Matthew John, talks about what almost every designer has probably faced at some point in their career – should you go that extra mile and learn about other elements of a business outside of design, like coding, content writing and business 101?

Check out Matt’s blog here: Designers should write content, code, study business & other things people say.

Matt provides an insight into whether designers should be multi-skilled.

Uber rival Didi Chuxing raises over $A9 billion

China's top ride-hailing company has scored $A9.8 billion in funding whih will keep competitor, Uber Technologies Inc., at bay.

Didi Chuxing Technology Co. said this week that the fundraising round lured new investors like Apple, China Life Insurance Co. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Read the full story in The Wall Street Journal.

China's homegrown competitor is dominating the ride-hailing market. *Photo: Twitter.*

Are startups addicted to meaningless jargon?

Quartz tech writer Josh Horwitz examines the startup sector and questions whether ‘startups can’t explain what they do because they’re addicted to meaningless jargon’.

“Content”, “Platforms”, “Synergy”, “End-to-end”, “Solutions” – these words sound technical and informed, but they mean nothing, and they make it difficult for ordinary people to understand what a company actually does, Josh writes.

You can read the story in full here.