Twiistup Starts Tonight – Save $100 if You Register by 3pm

twiistup 7 twiistup7Over the years Twiistup has evolved from a blowout meet ‘n’ greet for startups, entrepreneurs, and investors to a can’t-miss, day-and-a-half of panel discussions, showcases, and mixers featuring the top tech and media innovators and venture capitalists from LA, Silicon Valley and beyond.

Billed “LA’s biggest technology EVENT,” the agenda and guest list is a stacked who’s-who of elite tech talent. But don’t let the mature, sit-down nature of Twiistup 7 fool you, as Hollywood’s penchant for partying is not forgotten with a 007-themed after party and a hosted pre-party included with each event pass.

twiistup.com
Registration: $397 before 3pm 1/27, $497 after.
Weds January 27th: 6-9 Korn Hall, UCLA; 9-midnight W Hotel Westwood. Thurs 1/28: 8-5:30 showoffs and panels at Skirball Center; 7:30-midnight Casino Royale party at Skirball.

Amazon to Acquire Zappos

Internet giant Amazon.com will acquire Zappos.com in a deal worth more than $800 million, according to an official announcement today. Amazon Buys Zappos for $850 millionAfter growing into an e-commerce behemoth with a legendary customer service record, it comes as little surprise that Zappos was acquired by the likes of Amazon. There really is no better match when it comes to e-commerce, product, service, and technology.

This deal confirms the groudbreaking success that Zappos achieved through widely publicized corporate policies, happy employees, and impeccable customer service which often includes free next day shipping, and always a 365-days-a-year free-return-shipping guarantee. Amazon clearly gains from Zappos ability to literally obsess over customers, be inventive, and think long term (while growing year over year since being founded in June 1999.

Zappos will receive $807 million worth of Amazon stock and $40 million in cash as part of the deal. The purchase price could value as much as $920 million, assuming the deal is for 10 million shares (shares of AMZN opened today at $88.54), according to Sarah Lacy at Techcrunch.

The news comes on the eve of Amazon’s Q2 earnings call and on the heels of heated rumors of an Amazon / Netflix deal.

Huge story here. Watch the video below from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, read the blog post by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh and read the official Лаптоп Магазин р лаптопpress release. And let’s discuss!

Seen Your Video: The Winnies & Twiistup 3 showoffs

Tonight is the long-awaited Winnie awards at Cinespace and I am currently piecing together the trophy that I will be presenting. It’s gonna be a blast. As will Twiistup 3, January 16, where there will be awesome giveaways like Rock Band and most-likely a solid stable of presenters (showoffs) as we’ll find out this afternoon [the list is here. Below is a goofy video of myself and Heathervescent at the most recent Twiistup in August.