Sparrow Mail Launches 1.3 Version to Add More Gmail-Like Features


WHAT: Simple email client for Mac that allows you to browse conversations, reply in the same window, create and edit labels, and bring all your email accounts into one place and view a unified inbox. Connect to Facebook to see photos of friends emailing you. Feels like Twitter and uses many of the same conventions as Gmail though it supports all IMAP accounts. Available from Mac app store for $9.99.

Sparrow's 1.3 version adds option to archive messages you respond to, support for drag-and-drop (e.g., your mail into other places, attachments to mail), ability to see all labels on your sidebar, ability to hide your sidebar and see only your inbox, and improved scrolling.

Next up are iPhone and iPad apps, and the company is considering making a Windows client as well. Also, look for more Facebook integration.

LAUNCHERS:  Dom Leca, CEO, previously co-founded a company that made iPhone and iPad apps. Hoa Dinh Viet, lead engineer, has worked for Apple and Amazon, and Jean-Marc Denis heads up design.

WHY: Mail clients are too cluttered. Apple’s mail client is good, but the software doesn’t get updated all that often. Having your mail on your machine -- not in the cloud -- is reassuring.
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Kogeto Launches Dot, Panoramic Video Camera for iPhone, in a Twist on Lifecasting


WHAT: Dot is a small 360-degree video camera that clicks onto the iPhone 4. Free app will allow easy uploading to Dot website and sharing. Expected retail price is $79. Patents are pending.

Dot is the second product from Kogeto. The first was a panoramic camera that resembles an overhead projector. Named Lucy, it is meant for educational use and costs about $3K.

Kogeto plans to make Dot for the iPod Touch and Android devices (iPad’s camera not good enough -- yet).

LAUNCHERS: CEO Jeff Glasse founded a museum and documentary film company that he sold to Teachscape -- tech-driven, online education for teachers. Co-founder David Sosnow worked with Jeff at Teachscape and helped design Lucy.

WHY: Lucy is a niche product. The iPhone 4 has a high-resolution camera, and millions of people own iPhones. People often spend time at an event trying to capture it -- Dot allows them to hit record and put the camera down. Take video of parties, car rides, concerts and games, or use for security. Jeff says, “Our users will show us how they want to use it.”
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Hudl Simplifies Video Editing and Sharing for Coaches to Help Them Win


Editor's note: Shortly after we published this piece, Hudl acquired its main competitor, Digital Sports Video, for an undisclosed amount. Read more here.

WHAT: Web-based video editing, analyzing and sharing for non-techie athletic coaches from the high school level through professional. Coaches can also share data reports and presentations with players, plus make their highlights public.

Hudl is targeted at football and basketball teams but works for most any sport where coaches use video to improve performance and/or study competition. Cost for high schools starts at $800 a year. Hudl has apps for iPhone and iPad, Android app in development.

LAUNCHERS:  David Graff (CEO), John Wirtz (COO) and Brian Kaiser (CTO), classmates at the University of Nebraska's Raikes School of Computer Science and Management.

WHY: It’s inefficient for coaches to print playbooks and burn DVDs for every game. Pricey software packages require certain hardware and/or charge license fees for each machine, and they’re not easy to use. High school football coaches can spend hours driving to a meeting point to exchange game DVDs with their upcoming opponent.
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Stitcher Streams Podcasts On Demand to Make Old Radio Even More Irrelevant


WHAT: Stream podcasts and talk shows from your smartphone, iPad or desktop browser on demand (i.e., Pandora for talk). Also available in cars via OnStar and Ford’s Sync. Content partners range from the BBC to Kevin Smith’s Smodcast Internet Radio to Rush Limbaugh.

This week Stitcher launched a recommendation feature for its iPhone and Android apps to help users discover new content.

LAUNCHERS: Noah Shanok, CEO, previously led sales for StubHub and was a consultant. Peter deVroede (CTO) worked in finance and managed tech for various gaming, software and entertainment companies.

WHY: Downloading every podcast is a PITA, plus downloads are not automatic. Mobile internet has become mainstream. Talk makes up 35% of traditional radio listening.

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CellScope Launches iPhone Device for Diagnosing Ear Infections, Expands Telemedicine Market

WHAT: A device called an otoscope that attaches to an iPhone so that doctors (and eventually parents) can take photos inside a child’s ear. Doctors use the image to determine whether there is an ear infection or show it to colleagues for a second opinion. CellScope images can be added to the child’s electronic medical record to compare them to future images of ear infections.

LAUNCHERS:  Erik Douglas has a doctorate in bioengineering from UC-Berkeley and previously founded a company that did due diligence for tech investors (company failed). Wilbur Lam is a pediatrician at Emory University who met Erik in their PhD program.

WHY: Ear infections are the top reason kids go to doctors (and emergency rooms), accounting for about 30M visits a year. The iPhone’s camera takes photos good enough for doctors to make an ear-infection diagnosis based on them. Doctors have become more open to tech solutions (including electronic medical records) that make them more efficient and reduce costs. Plus you don’t need approval from the Food and Drug Administration to make otoscopes.

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Balloon Makes Audience Participation at Events Better for Organizers and Attendees -- Finally


WHAT: Get the audience at live events more involved with moderated questions and comments, polls and surveys. Attendees can use Twitter, text messages and email to interact with those on stage. Event organizers can track engagement on the back end.

Balloon’s iPhone app -- which includes gaming elements like points for questions asked, leaderboards, etc. -- will debut in mid-July.

LAUNCHERS:  Andrei Vestemeanu (CEO), Romain David (marketing) and Guillaume Potier (CTO). Guillaume previously started a company that developed iPhone apps, first company for Andrei and Romain.

WHY: Passing around a mic during Q&A is inefficient (especially when someone hogs it). Old-fashioned keypad systems are expensive to rent and don’t work well. Plus event organizers don’t have tools to measure which audience members are most engaged and on which topics or with which speakers.

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WhatWasThere Launches Historical Photo Overlay to Show Google Maps Its Future


WHAT: See today’s streets as they were decades or a century ago. WhatWasThere overlays historical photos on Google Streetview so you can slide between past and present. The iPhone app shows historical photos based on your location. Images come from from museums, libraries and archives that have granted free permission, as well from public collections and those users upload.

Larger picture: tie content to location and put it in context.

LAUNCHERS: Steve Glauberman, founder and CEO of digital agency Enlighten, along with Laurel Erickson, Adam Kempa, Karen Ford, Voratima Orawannukul and Mike Gatto.

WHY: “Born out of a desire to preserve history knowing that everyone has a lot of old photos,” says Steve. Not to mention the fun of comparing past/present views of places you know.

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