Twitter gets new VP of product as it acquires startup Yes

Consumer mobile app startup Yes, Inc. is joining Twitter and with it the company’s CEO, Keith Coleman, is becoming the new vice president of product for the social network. Yes will be shutting down its two mobile apps—wyd, which is for sharing status updates, and Frenzy, which is for making plans with friends. Coleman and six other employees from Yes will be taking on product and design roles at Twitter as part of the agreement.

Coleman has the unenviable task of steering the core Twitter app and service, a spot that has been vacant for the past six months. The core product that has been attributed as being one of the main reasons why the company has struggled to expand its user base. Let’s see what he can do for the social network.

Source: Recode 

Moto has no plans to release a smartwatch soon

If you liked the Moto 360, don’t think you’ll be getting a follow-up from the Lenovo-owned company any time soon. TechCrunch reports that a Moto executive confirmed the news. According to Shakil Barkat, head of global product development for Motorola, “We don’t see enough pull from the market at this point to put out a new product.” He claims a lack of broad appeal for the smartwatch space. There might be a Moto smartwatch somewhere down the line but in the meantime, don’t expect much.

This proclamation can be seen as a direct threat to the longevity of Google’s Android Wear operating system. The Moto 360 is considered one of the best interpretations of the OS and if Motorola abandons it, we’re not sure what the future holds for Android Wear. With Wear 2.0 being delayed to early next year, that doesn’t help the case either.

Source: TechCrunch

Box files are now accessible for Microsoft Office on Android

Box builds on its partnership with Microsoft and gives mobile users on Android access to their files and easily edit them on mobile versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. And this update comes months after Box was named to be part of Microsoft’s Cloud Storage Partner Program. If you use Box on your Android device, you can select that as the default cloud service in Office for Android. It takes away having to save files on your device before getting access to them. It also lets you assign tasks to your collaborators on Box.

 Source: Venture Beat

SourceCode: Pebble reportedly close to selling to Fitbit

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Pebble is reportedly in talks to get acquired and deleted by wearable giant Fitbit. Fitbit will reportedly purchase the struggling smartwatch pioneer for US $40 million, keep its intellectual property while eradicating the Pebble name and its various product lines. This is worrisome not just for existing Pebble owners but also for the sizeable amount of fans who have money on the hook for upcoming products like the Pebble Core and the Pebble Time Steel 2 slated to ship in 2017.

This isn't the first time Pebble was in talks for acquisition. The company refused a buyout from watch maker Citizen, who was interested in purchasing Pebble for $740 million in 2015 according to TechCrunch.

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